The people of Norgaygang Gewog in Samtse hoped to see their gewog centre road blacktopped before the onset of monsoon. But this has not happened.
They will have to wait seven more months as the work will resume only after the monsoon is over.
The total length of Norgaygang Gewog Centre (GC) road is 17 kilometers. The first 5 kilometers of the road was blacktopped last year. The Department of Roads contracted out the work to blacktop the remaining 12 kilometer in July last year.
The base course and drains have been constructed, and the blacktopping was to be complete by April end. But delay in the supply of bitumen has hindered the work progress.
The contractor, Kinley Penjor, said he received the bitumen supply from the Department of Roads only recently. But it’s too late as the rainy season has already begun. “I don’t think the rain will allow us to work,” he added. “It’s also not very effective to blacktop the road when the base course is wet.”
Kinley Penjor is worried the rain would damage the base course and the drains.
The Project Engineer from the Department of Roads said the order for bitumen was placed in December last year but the supplier delivered it only last month. He added they will resume the work after five months and finish by early next year.
Meanwhile, the people of Norgagang are bracing for the usual muddy, wet walks this monsoon as well. Every monsoon, torrential rain makes the road impassable for vehicles. Noargaygang villagers leave their vehicles in Tendruk and walk to their homes from there.
