For the last three years, the arrival of the monsoon has brought uncertainty for the people of Logchina gewog in Chhukha. A swollen stream often stopped vehicles, delayed farm produce from reaching the market, and left travellers waiting for days. Now, the new Chimti Bridge, inaugurated recently, promises to keep this vital route open throughout the year.
For the people using this route, the Chimti Bridge is more than a new piece of infrastructure. It removes a major seasonal obstacle on a road connecting Logchina with surrounding gewogs.
“Without a bridge, it was challenging to get across. Now, this worry is settled. People of five gewogs use this route, so the new bridge will benefit them too,” said Aita Singh Tamang, a resident of Logchina Gewog, Chhukha.
The stream at Chimti may appear small during the dry season. But residents say it swells during the monsoon, cutting off the road and forcing travellers to wait for the water level to fall.
The previous bridge at the crossing was washed away in 2023. Its loss affected the movement of people and goods, with the looming uncertainty of when the road would reopen.
“People had to go through a lot in summer. The stream would often swell and block the route. People spent days waiting for the water level to subside. There are many stories of farm produce going bad due to roadblocks here. This bridge is a vital link for us. Including the bridge completed at Takti earlier this year, I feel Logchina now has a reliable route,” said Tham Bdr Rai, Logchina Gup, Chhukha.
While the new bridge does not guarantee higher incomes, removing one recurring monsoon bottleneck gives farmers a more dependable link to the market.
The benefit also extends beyond trade. Residents say a reliable bridge will reduce the risk of people being stranded during emergencies.
The bridge was built at a cost of more than Nu 21.5 M.
For now, the Chimti Bridge has removed one of Logchina’s longstanding barriers. The task now is to ensure that the road connected to it remains equally dependable.
Kinley Dem
Edited by Sonam Wangdi
