In Sarpang, the road leading to Chhoekhorling village in Dekiling Gewog is in dire need of maintenance. Regular users of the road say the gewog administration is not taking responsibility to maintain the road. People including those from Chhuzom Gewog and the Jigme Wangchuck Power Training Institute use the road to travel to Gelephu town and the district administration. The issue was discussed during the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
The three-kilometre road from the Sarpang-Gelephu highway to the Jigme Wangchuck Power Training Institute is riddled with potholes.
Commuters are concerned and confused as to whose responsibility it is to maintain the road.
“It is inconvenient for both vehicles and people plying on this road. It would be of immense benefit if the road is maintained,” said Megnath Monger, a commuter.
“The road condition starts from here till the TTI is in a bad condition. There are possibilities of small vehicles hitting their undercarriages while driving on this road,” said Lila Dhar Bhandari, another commuter.
During the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu, the Dekiling Mangmi, Lekey Gyeltshen, said the road was not repaired in the absence of funds. The mangmi asked if the district administration had plans to repair the road.
“The Jigme Wangchuck Power Training Institute blacktopped the road from Chhoekhorling till the institute a few years ago. Everyone says heavy vehicles using the road are damaging it. The blacktopping works by the institute lasted for about three years. With 10 and 12-wheeler trucks using the road from last year, we could not maintain the road,” said Lekey Gyeltshen, Dekiling Mangmi.
The Sarpang Dzongda informed the house that despite the National Assembly resolving to hand over gewog road maintenance works to the Department of Surface Transport, the district did not receive any official directives.
“It is true that the road is in a poor condition. Gewog and district administration left the road unattended thinking that road belongs to the Jigme Wangchuck Power Training Institute. It is not the responsibility of the institute to maintain the road, nor they can afford to do so. It should be considered as a gewog connectivity road,” said Lobzang Dorji, Sarpang Dzongda.
The dzongda added that the road maintenance works till the power training institute will be included in the ongoing construction of the 1,000-bed quarantine facility above the institute.
Karma Wangdi, Sarpang
Edited by Sherub Dorji
