The people of Maedtsho Gewog in Lhuntse are not happy with the blacktopping works carried out on the gewog centre road from Silibi to Gorgan. The eight-kilometre stretch was blacktopped in November last year. However, in some parts of the road, the blacktop has started coming off.
The blacktopping works on the road were done some five months ago at Nu 48 M. The blacktop is wearing off and potholes have developed. People claim that blacktopping works are carried out poorly.
“We will have to wait and see the situation of the road for some time. We haven’t reported the matter to any relevant authority thinking that the roads department would hand it over to us in good condition. But if they give us road in a condition that requires maintenance, we will not be taking over the road,” said Maedtsho Gup, Gembo.
Tenzin Norbu, a resident also said, “The quality of the road is poor. The road from Silibi towards Gorgan is coming off.”
The contractor and the engineer from the road’s department at Autsho said the department monitored the works constantly. They say damages are caused by the log extraction works and unstable slope.
The department has asked the contractor to maintain the defects before handing over the road to the gewog administration in November.
The paved road however benefitted the commuters.
“When the road was muddy, we used to face a lot of inconveniences. With the completion of blacktopping work, it is more convenient for us to travel to Lhuentse and Thimphu,” said Tenzin Norbu.
“The completion of blacktopping work has benefitted the general public. In the past, it used to take more than one hour to reach Gorgan from the gewog centre. But now it takes only about 45 minutes,” added the Gup.
The stretch between Silibi and Gorgan falls under the proposed Shingkhar-Gorgan bypass. So, the road’s department excluded the blacktopping works on the particular stretch in 2020 when the gewog centre road was paved.
Sonam Tshering, Monggar
Edited by Sangay Chezom
