The road leading to the gewog centre of Kabesa in Punakha is in dire need of maintenance. Residents say the poor road condition is creating inconveniences to the commuters. Although the stretch is about four kilometres, it is the most travelled road in the district.
The gewog centre road starts from Gasa-Punakha highway at Jala-Ekha. The road was blacktopped in 2017. But today, almost half the stretch is filled with potholes. And to make the problem worse, the drain water adds to the already deteriorated road condition.
“The condition is worsening as heavy vehicles used for construction works ply through the road adding more to the potholes. And due to the bad road condition, some taxi drivers charge less fare while some charge high,” said Gomchhen, a resident of Kabesa Gewog.
“Dratsha construction is ongoing at Chorten Nyingpo. The construction of hostels in the central school is underway and some other constructions are happening. So, the road is getting damaged due to heavy vehicles plying through this single road,” said Tshering Penjor, the Kabesa Gup.
“Our small vehicles have gotten damaged due to the bad road condition. It is difficult for us to bear the maintenance costs as it’s quite expensive,” said Phub Tshering, another resident.
Moreover, the residents said besides the bad condition, the road is narrow and poses high risks for vehicle accidents.
“Vehicles find it difficult to take the side if they meet with another vehicle on the way. Therefore, we would be grateful if the road could be widened as well,” added Gomchhen.
“The parents come to the school by driving their own car to meet their children. And this leads to traffic congestion. And this only adds to the already narrowed road. In the past, a bolero went off the road but fortunately, the driver escaped unhurt,” added Phub Tshering.
But the problem is likely to come to an end soon. The Kabesa Gup said the maintenance works are expected to begin this month and complete by November.
“We have a budget of Nu 780,000 for the gewog centre road maintenance works. Actually, we had expected about Nu 2 to 3 M. But, we had to keep it limited as we have several other important projects and plans as the gewog is one of the biggest in the district,” added the Gup.
With the maintenance works expected to begin soon, it won’t be long before the commuters will get to enjoy a smooth ride.
Changa Dorji, Punakha
Edited by Sonam Pem
