Villagers of Lauri Gewog in Samdrup Jongkhar say their gewog centre (GC) road needs to be blacktopped. Currently, the 36 kilometres Lauri GC road is riddled with potholes and without a proper drainage system. The GC road was constructed in 2015.
Today villagers of Lauri Gewog have to travel in the muddy and potholes-laden road. Villagers say sometimes they have to walk to reach their destination as the road becomes slippery to ply.
And heavy rainfall during the monsoon season has made the road condition worst, with some parts of the road washed away. Retaining walls and culverts were also damaged.
“Without a blacktopped road, villagers are facing so many problems, as the road use to get blocked during rainfall, and the road is with potholes where we are not able to reach on time. Sometimes in emergencies like carrying patients, we have to change vehicles from various blocks by paying extra charges,” said Tashi Norbu, from Lauri Gewog in Samdrup Jongkhar.
“The road is not convenient but without any alternatives, we have to use it. Right now from Jomotshangkha, it is a four-hour drive and if the road is blacktopped it will take much less time,” added Dorji Wangchuk, also from Lauri.
Samdrup Jongkhar dzongkhag administration took over the GC road from the Department of Roads recently and about Nu 105 M has been allocated to blacktop the GC road in the current five-year-plan.
According to Dzongkhag administration, about Nu 20 M has been allocated in the current fiscal year to blacktop the GC road and tender will be awarded within this month.
With Nu 20 M, only 12 kilometres of the road will be blacktopped and the dzongkhag will continue with blacktopping works of the remaining 24 kilometres from next fiscal year.
Kinley Wangchuk
