The government provided special bus services for more than 100 people stranded in Jomotshangkha and Gelegphu. They were all stranded in Jomotshangkha and other parts of the country after the closure of the border in March to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Without internal road connection, Jomotshangkha Dungkhag is isolated for close to three months from the rest of the country.
52 people who were stranded in Jomotshangkha were reached to Gelegphu today. Most of them are staying in other parts of the country and they were on holiday in their villages under Jomothshangkha during the border closure.
Similarly, 55 residents of Jomotshangkha were able to make to their dungkhag on June 6th from Gelegphu in the special bus service. Some have been stranded as long as three months in other parts of the country after the closure of the border.
Tshering Dorji, from Jomotshangkha Dungkhag was in Thimphu way before the border closure. He said he stayed in Thimphu hospital for four months with his child who was ill. “Unluckily my child died and with the border closed, I have struggled very much. But now I am very grateful to our government and our Prime Minister for providing bus services,” he shared.
“I went to the hospital for a check-up in Thimphu but after discharging, I had to stay there only because of the COVID-19 situation. And with no relatives up there I have struggled a lot and am grateful for getting this bus services,” added Lham Chezom, also from Jomotshangkha.
The government provided special bus services to and from Jomotshangkha-Gelephu by the Indian highway after a request made by Norbu Wangzom, the Member of Parliament of Jomotshangkha Martshala constituency.
According to MP Norbu Wangzom, physical distancing is strictly adhered to by all the passengers availing the bus services. She said only 10 people were allowed on one bus and they have arranged 5 buses.
She also added that few residents are still left stranded in other parts of the country and arranging such type of bus services in future will depend on the directives from the government as travelling along Indian Highway is risky with cases of COVID-19 on the rise across the bordering towns.
Meanwhile, project DANTAK has resumed the construction of the internal road between Jomothsangkha and Samdrup Jongkhar last month. According to the chief engineer of the Department of Roads in Samdrup Jongkhar, they are expecting to connect the road between Langchenphu and Samrang Gewog within 2 to 3 months.
Kinley Wangchuk
