The bridge over Telegang Chhu along the Trongsa -Zhemgang highway will be replaced by 2021. The construction works are underway at the new bridge site since January last year. Once complete, the bridge will have two lanes for smooth traffic flow.
With around 30 per cent of the works complete, the construction company is currently working on slope protection walls, which is expected to take a few months more.
“We are in the second step of the wall’s construction. We have used rods inside and applied cement. We have to level the wall with the road. This will prevent landslides and that the bridge will last for ages, ”Chado Namgyel, the Engineer of the Dai Nippon Construction, said.
The construction company said the existing bridge is past its age. At the moment, it is in use with some renovations.
“The old bridge is in a poor condition and has developed cracks. It is still in use because of the supports provided beneath the bridge,”Chado Namgyel said.
The Japanese government signed an agreement with Bhutan in 2016 to provide grant aid for replacing bridges along the Primary National highways in the country.
Telegang Chhu Bridge is the third bridge in Trongsa to be constructed with Japan’s assistance.