It’s almost exactly a year since Druk Nyamrup Tsogpa won the Chhoekhor_Tang by-election in Bumthang against the backdrop of grand promises of blacktopping three farm roads among other pledges. Today, voters are still waiting for works to begin. Although much later than promised, good news might finally be on the way as initial contract-awarding works are underway.
Around this time last year, Chhoekhor_Tang became a hotspot for party politics. As the president of Druk Nyamrup Tsogpa, the Prime Minister himself visited the constituency and took extra initiative to rope in voters. Blacktopping of around 40 kilometres of farm roads in the constituency was committed to the people. “Be it in Tang or Chhoekhor, the aspiration of the people is to have the roads blacktopped. So, if somehow Mr. Dawa gets elected, we will start the blacktopping works within two to three months after the election,” the Prime Minister said during the by-election campaign last year.
A year on since the election, blacktopping works are yet to begin. People are patiently waiting; hoping that this won’t remain unfulfilled yet again like in the past.
“It’s been a long time coming and if the work keeps delaying, the base course will keeping wearing off. We are hopeful that the work will begin soon,” said Karma, a resident of Nangsiphel in Chhoekhor Gewog.
“During the election campaign last year, our MP pledged that the blacktop would come within three months after the election. Then it was postponed to five months. Now it’s more than a year and blacktop is nowhere in sight. The base course on the road is getting damaged, day by day,” said Tenzin, a resident of Kharsa.
“We hope when the blacktopping works begin, the base course on the four-kilometre road from Toktozampa to Kharsa which has come off and the drains that need restoration would be taken care as well,” said Nima, another resident of Kharsa.
MP Dawa said the works got delayed due to long feasibility study and budget estimation procedures coupled with unfavourable weather conditions. However, he said the contract works for the Chhoekhor Toed and Dhur roads will be awarded as one package within a week’s time. “The government asked me to start the works soon and I tried my best. We wanted to float the tender for Chhoekhor Toed and Dhur roads by September but we could only do it in October. Regarding the Tang road, the tender announcement has been made online.”
The blacktopping works will cost the government Nu 150 M. MP Dawa said the Gross National Happiness Commission allocated the budget from reprioritised activities. Meanwhile, the pledge was heavily criticised by the Opposition during the campaign last year citing lack of budget in the government’s coffer due to the economic recession the pandemic triggered.
“The pandemic has affected the recurring budget but we still have enough capital budget. That’s why we are blacktopping the roads as pledged. We are not using recurring budget to fund the blacktopping project. There is no need to worry over lack of budget,” added the Chhoekhor_Tang’s MP.
The blacktop will be 30 mm thick, equivalent to that of Gewog Centre roads. For the people of Chhoekhor_Tang, this might be their third time lucky but the debate around party politics and budget allocation will only grow.
Kipchu, Bumthang
