It is a known fact that roads are lifelines to villages in Bhutan. However, their poor condition never ceases to be in the spotlight. This time too, people of the two most remote gewogs in Monggar- Gongdu and Silambi are complaining about the poor road infrastructure, which is limiting their mobility and economic prospects.
The 18-kilometre long farm road, which starts from Dagsa village under Gongdu Gewog till Weringla Dungkhag is pivotal connectivity for residents of Gongdu and Silambi gewogs.
Residents frequent the road almost every day for official works such as seeking updates on the transfer of land ownership at the Dungkhag office or other pertinent works at the Dungkhag Court and Police Station.
However, it is in deplorable condition. According to our Monggar correspondent, the recent rainfall has made the road slippery, posing risks to motorists of accidents. The stretch is not even tarred, making everyday travel a nerve-wracking ordeal.
Except for four-wheeler cars, the stretch is unfit for light vehicles.
“We have heard the blacktopping of the road will begin soon. If that is the case, it will immensely benefit the residents of Silambi and Pangthang chiwog of Gongdu Gewog. The road is inaccessible to small cars and during summer, we have to park our cars alongside the road and walk,” points out one of the residents in Weringla Dungkhag, Tshering.
Local leaders, who are familiar with the issue, also say, the road is in dire condition. However, if blacktopped, it will address several issues.
“What I feel is that if the road is tarred, the two gewogs will not have to seek additional budget for maintenance after every monsoon. This way, gewogs can use the funds for other prioritised community-based programmes,” shares Tsendu, the Mangmi of Silambi Gewog.
The farm road was paved in 2015 and hardly received a major facelift to date. Therefore, the Gongdu Gewog Administration has proposed the blacktopping of the road in the last Dzongkhag Tshogdu, which was held over a month ago.
The proposal was backed by Silambi Gup.
“The reason for proposing the blacktopping of the road till the Dungkhag is that when the Gyalpozhing-Nganglam highway remains cut off in summer, commuters can travel via this road to visit Nganglam and border areas. The proposal is for the benefit of all eastern districts,” underscores the Silambi Gup, Dorji Wangchuk.
Since Gongdu and Silambi gewogs fall under the jurisdiction of Weringla Dungkhag, the office raised in the meeting then that they don’t have adequate funds to blacktop the entire stretch.
However, the Gongdu Gup clarified that the gewog has more than Nu 6 M under the current Five-Year-Plan to repair farm roads.
Following the meeting, the house asked the gewog to submit the proposal to the works and human settlement ministry, and decided to consider it for the next Five-Year-Plan.
This is because the current plan is nearing its end and also the budget is not adequate for blacktopping farm roads.
Besides people of Silambi and Gongdu gewogs, hundreds of commuters from the six eastern districts travel the road when the Gyalpoizhing-Nganglam highway remains shut during the summer.
Sonam Tshering, Monggar
Edited by Pema Lhaden
