Lophokha_Phagtakha chiwog under Athang Gewog in Wangdue Phodrang is now connected with a bailey bridge. Although the chiwog is connected with a farm road, one of the biggest challenges for the residents is the transportation problem especially during the monsoon time due to the lack of a motorable bridge. However, with the new bridge, the transportation problem is now history.
The chiwog is one of the most remote chiwogs under Athang. The residents will no longer have to repair log bridges over the stream hereafter in the summer seasons.
“Firstly, we have to think twice while cutting trees and it is difficult to get wooden logs. Secondly, it is not one or two years, we have to keep on reconstructing the bridges and it is difficult to get wood from the nearby area. Thirdly, we cannot get machines for transporting logs since the place is located far away. So, our people have struggled a lot,” said Khandu Dorji, the Athang Gup.
“We used to spend around four to five days to reconstruct log bridges earlier. We have to repair around five log bridges in our location. So, we are extremely thankful to the government for giving us this permanent motorable bridge. It will definitely help to reduce our workload and bring us immense benefit hereafter,” said Sonam, a resident of Kago village under Athang Gewog.
A hundred feet long bailey bridge with a capacity of 18 metric tonnes, constructed at the confluence of Phobjikha and Gogona stream was inaugurated last Friday. The bridge would benefit more than 60 households of Lophokha_Phagtakha chiwog and Kago village of another neighbouring chiwog.
Farmers now hope to increase their agricultural works for business while some have already begun. The chiwog has the potential to grow almost all kind of crops due to favourable climatic conditions.
“Whenever the water level rises during summer, it washes away our log bridge. We have to reconstruct those bridges almost twice every year before falling winter. Of course, we have potential land to grow vegetables but did not do the work that much so far due to the lack of a bridge and conditioned road. So, we are feeling proud and happy since we can even take our patients to the hospital without problem as we have a bridge and road now,” said Dawa Gyeltshen, a resident of Lophokha-Phagtakha chiwog.
“Of course, our people are doing vegetable works but there was no bridge earlier to take our products to the market. Starting from the 4th and 5th Bhutanese month, all the log bridges will be washed away by the river disconnecting our route. However, we are now expecting to prioritise vegetable cultivation work and will sell whatever we produce by taking it to the market hereafter since we have the bridge,” added Nim Dem, also from Lophokha_Phagtakha chiwog.
“I have been advising our people not to leave their land fallow. I am encouraging them to carry out rotational cropping works like in the past. And even they are now doing the works. So, they do not keep fallow land since last year,” added the Athang Gup.
The Nu 8 M bridge, constructed by the government, will also benefit the increasing number of visitors to Athang Lake in the chiwog. The chiwogs were connected with a farm road since 2018 but did not have a permanent motorable bridge.
Similarly, another bailey bridge construction is underway in the area over Gogona stream which will benefit nearby Lomtshokha chiwog. The Chiwogs are located around 70 kilometres away from the Dzongkhag office.
Changa Dorji, WangduePhodrang
