Dagana dzongkhag has proposed a sum of Nu 110m for the construction of 43-kilometre Peling-Kamichu bypass in the 12th Five-Year-Plan. People of Tseza Gewog while meeting the Opposition Leader said the road would serve, as the national highway benefiting neighbouring districts as well.
In this financial year, over Nu 5m was allocated for the Peling-Kamichu bypass from the Dzongkhag Development Grant and Gewog Development Grant of Dagana.
“We border with Thimphu dzongkhag, Wangdue to the north, Tsirang to east, and Phuentshogling to the south. But coming to the road it looks like it is only our gewog that is responsible. We have 14 gewogs in the district so every gewog must support the cause that it will benefit us all,” said a resident named Sangay Dorji.
The Opposition Leader also said this highway is very important. “By 12th Five-Year-Plan to complete the Dagana’s highway shall be the number one priority whichever the parties form the government. The old highway has remained the same for years now,” said Dr. Pema Gyamtsho. “I have heard from the dzongkhag officials that GDG were used for the construction of road. It is not right. The GDG is solely for the development of the gewog. The grant going to dzongkhag highway is not convenient.”
Meanwhile the work which began some three years ago was inconsistent due to lack to budget. Only 16 kms of formation cutting of the road is complete from Dagana side. “This year we have started from here and it has reached to that place. It is only three km from the Wangdue border. So far we did not get a proper fund for the construction of the road, so we used some portion of the GDG and left over budget from the dzongkhag,” told the Mangmi of Tseza Gewog, Rickey to the Opposition Leader.
Tseza Gup Phurba said, from Wangdue Dzongkhag till the border of Dagana, the road was surveyed to be of 23 kilometres. “When talked to Daga Gewog Chairperson in Wangdue, he said they have already completed 9 kms of road and they are continuing the works. In a period of one and a half month we will be able to construct the road till the border of Dagana and Wangdue.”
Once complete, the Peling-Kamichu bypass would half the eight hour journey from Dagana to Thimphu. The Opposition Leader, Dr. Pema Gyamtsho is on a week-long official tour to Dagana.
