The plan to widen Dhosoom – Yangtse highway is yet to take shape. The issue once again cropped up in the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
Narrow and riddled with pot holes, the 30-kilometer road is in need of maintenance, say the local leaders. They say the road was not much of a problem in the past but now it is with the start of the Khonlonghcu hydro power project.
“The number of vehicles using the road has increased and that’s why we are pushing for the widening of the road,” said Norbu, the Gup of Khamdang Gewog.
“The road is narrow and traffic jams are already a huge problem,” said Tashi Dorji, the Gup of Tongmajangsa. “The jams will just get worse if the road is not widened.”
The Joint Managing Director of Kholongchu Hydro Energy Limited, Kencho Dorji, agrees the road needs to be widened. For the project, he says it would better if the widening could be carried out before the main project works begin. He said the project could not begin the work due to lack of budget.
Kencho Dorji added that according to the Department of Roads, the widening of Chazam -Yangtse highway is estimated to cost about Nu 872 m. Of that, Nu 415 m is expected from the Kholongchu project. He said the project has raised the matter with its board.
