Residents in Olakha in Thimphu Thromde are frustrated that road conditions in their locality are worsening by the day.
They said the roads are riddled with potholes, which result in traffic congestion. Residents added that they are getting impatient waiting for the Thimphu Thromde to repair the roads.
One resident, Norgay, has been living in Olakha for the last three years.
“Because of the bad road conditions, the area becomes very dusty as vehicles pass by,” he said. “We sprinkle water to reduce the dust. We would be grateful if these roads are repaired soon.”
Motorists and cabbies also complain about the road conditions in Olakha.
“We face lots of problems, especially during evening traffic jams,” said Milan Kumar Subba, a cabbie. “When it rains, the roads get muddy, posing an inconvenience to pedestrians and commuters.” If the roads get repaired, he added, the congestion will decrease.
The Thimphu Thrompon, Kinlay Dorjee, clarified that due to limited funds, the road had been blacktopped with thin layers, which is why road conditions have been deteriorating year by year.
The mayor also blames the public for the poor road conditions. He said people’s habit of dumping trash in roadside drains makes waste water spill over the roads.
But Olakha residents must not wait too much longer to see their roads repaired. The thrompon said road repairs within Thimphu Thromde will begin next month.
“Starting in Olakha, they will cover Lungtenphu, Babesa, Simtokha, the old town area and the roads heading to North Thimphu,” the thrompon added. “People having drainage problems in their areas can contact us so that we can look into the matter.”
The Asian Development Bank will fund Nu 300 M for the maintenance and blacktopping of roads. The Thimphu Thromde expects the road work to be completed within a year.
