More than Nu 50 M has been allocated in the financial year 2019-2020 to blacktop gewog center (GC) roads at Gongdue and Silambi gewogs in Monggar. Gongdue and Silambi are the only two gewogs in the district without blacktopped GC roads.
According to the Weringla Dungkhag office the blacktopping works are scheduled to begin soon. The works will be carried out phase-wise.
“Eleven-kilometer road from Yangbari towards gewog center is included in the financial year 2019-2020. And am told that the works for blacktopping of Silambi, Gongdue and Narang have already been awarded to the contractor,” said Gup, Gongdue, Monggar
Without blacktopped GC roads, landslides and roadblocks are the major challenges faced by the people of Gongdue and Silambi especially in summer, disconnecting the two gewogs from rest of the country.
“The road is usable only for five to six months during winter. We have to buy and stock the rations for summer. By May and June, the road gets blocked by flash flood from Yangbari side. And when we travel from Silambi, there will be several roadblocks at places like Gangchentpo, Kadag and Lungtagbrag,” said Tshering from Weringla in Monggar.
“It is not convenient when two vehicles pass by the road simultaneously. Our vehicle frequently breaks down when we travel between gewog and Yangbari,” added Tenzin also from Weringla in Monggar.
Once the roads are blacktopped it is expected to bring about socio-economic development in the two gewogs. Currently, without blacktopped roads, locals of the two gewogs do not focus much on commercial activities.
People of Silambi and Gongdue had also asked the former Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay to blacktop the GC roads during his gewog visit.
Sonam Tshering
