The 18-kilometre Dangchhu Gewog Centre road in Wangdue Phodrang is in bad condition. The road is riddled with potholes and the blacktop has also worn off. Residents attribute this to an increasing number of visitors to a hot stone bath in Dangchu and heavy vehicles ferrying wooden logs. The road was constructed in 2008.
Residents said it has been about a few years since the road developed potholes.
They said the increasing number of heavy vehicles ferrying wooden logs to other districts, and visitors to Dangchhu Wangchhu, a hot stone bath, have caused the damages.
Residents and visitors said the road which was blacktopped in 2016 requires resurfacing.
“The light vehicles are getting damaged due to bad road conditions. We have to go to the workshop once every month to repair our vehicle,” said Jit Dhan Limbu, a resident.
“We have to transport the chilli, potato and other vegetables using this road. But as the road is in poor condition, I think it is obvious for them to increase the transportation charge,” said Pelba, another resident.
“The ones who come here for hot stone bath are elderly citizens and those who are ill. But we are facing challenges due to the road. The road is bumpy and riddled with potholes,” said Nim Dorji, a visitor.
According to the Dangchhu Gewog office, the cost of resurfacing the road is estimated to exceed Nu 10 M, which is beyond Gewog’s budget.
“We submitted this agenda in the Dzongkhag Tshogdu. But we were told that the work should be carried out from the gewog’s budget. And the problem we are facing is budget constraints. The gewog office gets a maximum amount of Nu 9 M and from that, we have to carry out more than 20 different works,” said Phub Dorji, Dangchhu Gup.
Until the Gewog receives adequate funding or support, road users will have to continue enduring the challenges posed by this bumpy road.
Changa Dorji, Wangdue Phodrang
Edited by Tshering Zam
