The Refey – Khoshila bypass in Trongsa will take another year to open to traffic. Once complete, the road will shorten the travel time between Trongsa and Zhemgang by an hour and a half.
Today, blacktopping works are underway along the 17 kilometre stretch. While this is expected to be complete by early next year, it will take at least a year more to complete the two bridges along the route.
The Works and Human Settlement Minister, Dorji Choden said the construction of the bridges were not there when the project was first planned in the 10th Five-Year-Plan. It was included later which delayed the timely completion of the road. “One bridge which is Yurmong Bridge will be complete by December 2018, which is going to take the entire year 2018 and the other Dhangdoong Bridge will be complete by July next year,” added the minister. “So this will spill over to the 12th Five-Year-Plan.”
Once the construction of the bridges is complete, commuters will not have to take the present route via Langthil town thus reducing the travel time between the two dzongkhags. Works to clear the bypass began in 2012 with a fund of about Nu 600 M from the Government of India.
