It has been more than a decade since residents of Dungna and Maedtekha Gewogs in Chhukha were promised a fully blacktopped road. But even to date, the road remains in poor condition, forcing residents to endure hardship. Maedtekha Gup raised the issue during the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu, citing repeated failures of road improvement projects.
The road to the two gewogs of Dungna and Maedtekha was once all set to be fully blacktopped during the second government’s tenure in 2014, with works tendered.
However, Maedtekha Gup said several contractors were involved, and only the contractor working on the stretch from Maedtedchhulum to the Maedtekha Gewog Centre completed the work properly, resulting in the loss of a large amount of public funds.
Maedtekha Gup Passang Tshering said, “The blacktopping of the road from Ganglakha to Dungna started but was unsuccessful. When we look at it, it’s the contractors who failed. It is not that the government did not spend money, but it’s the contractors who failed, and they failed due to systemic lapses. So, we should also look at revising those. We have to really look at who failed and why.”
The present government has again committed to improving and blacktopping the road. The gup said the first phase of the work started in January 2025, with a completion date set for May this year, allocating over Nu 67 M.
“If we look at the road now, only a little over 15 metres have been blacktopped. I don’t see any reason why the contractor could not have completed the work. It’s been a long time, and the road is right next to the highway, making it easier to transport construction materials. Traffic could also have been diverted from Phuentshogling. Despite these advantages, the work was not completed on time. Now we are concerned about how the contractor will finish it and who will monitor the progress. The government has already spent a significant amount of money on this road, and that worries us,” added the gup.
Officials from the Department of Surface Transport said the contractor could not continue the work due to weather conditions and the early onset of monsoon.
“Neither did the contractor fail nor were there budget issues from the government. There were also no monitoring issues. It is because of the weather conditions. It rains and takes a few days for the area to dry up, then it rains again. At one point, the contractor wanted to proceed with the work, but we advised against it as it would compromise the quality,” said Cheten Tshering, the executive engineer for DoST.
He said the project duration has been extended until the end of this year, and the remaining work is expected to be carried out once the weather improves. Meanwhile, the Dzongkhag Tshogdu has decided to write to the Department of Surface Transport in Phuentshogling.
“We will write to the regional office in Phuentshogling to make sure the project is completed. We will also collaborate and work together in identifying the lapses. We want to request the district to also help identify the issues. We also want to seek guidance from the MPs here,” said Kinley Dorji, the Dy. Chairperson of the Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
The road today remains in poor condition, with frequent roadblocks affecting people’s livelihoods.
Lhabchu, a resident of Dungna Gewog said,”We are facing many difficulties. Sometimes we cannot travel for weeks. It becomes extremely challenging during emergencies when people fall sick. Elderly people are also having a very difficult time. Just this morning, the road was blocked, and we had to clear the road ourselves by removing large boulders.”
The road not only serves the people of Dungna and Maedtekha but is also a vital lifeline for several villages in Phuentshogling, Logchina, and Geling gewogs.
Kinley Dem, Phuentshogling
Edited by Phub Gyem
