The people of Pema Gatshel have been waiting for a long time for the construction of the Nganglam-Dewathang highway to begin. However, after more than a decade, they are now seeing a glimmer of hope. After Project DANTAK recently resurveyed the road and installed the inaugural plaque, people hope highway construction works to start soon.
The Ministry of Works and Human Settlement initially conducted the road survey in 2014. And the people are yet to see any progress.
But a month ago, Project DANTAK resurveyed the 55-kilometre-road. The plan has been changed and the road will now pass through Yarjaywung, Choekhorling and Arden chiwogs of Chhoekhorling Gewog.
“We hope the road will bring us lots of benefits. We will now be located in the middle, from both Dewathang and Nganglam. We are expecting more development than before,” said Arden Tshogpa, Sangay Dorji.
“We will be able to sell our vegetables by taking them to the nearby road. We can grow more vegetables. In the past, we had difficulty selling bananas. We hope such problems will resolve,” said Pema Tshomo, a resident in Chhoekhorling.
“After young people left the village, everyone here is old. But many of the young ones have landed in Bafudhar. I heard that some of them who are working in private sectors are coming back to the village by this winter,” said Kezang Tashi, Chhokhorling Tshogpa.
The construction of the highway was one of the pledges of the current government during the bye-election. The Labour Minister during his constituency visit said Project DANTAK is planning to complete the road within two years.
“From project DANTAK has already planned to complete within one to two years. They are planning to start the work in three phases. One will be starting from Nganglam to Chhoekhorling, another one from Adren to Chhoekhorling and then Arden to Dewathang,” said the Minister for Labour and Human Resources, Karma Dorji.
According to the Department of Roads office in Samdrup Jongkhar, they are yet to receive a detailed project report. The Government of India is funding road construction.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
Edited by Sangay Chezom
