In Chhukha, years after the farm road improvement project, residents of Chungkha and Togtokha villages are still grappling with deteriorating road conditions. Instead of improving the road, the residents claim, the project has left it in worse shape. Officials from the district administration said the road was handed over in good condition last year which the residents deny.
The 26-kilometre farm road connecting Chungkha and Togtokha villages to the Thimphu-Phuentshogling Highway remains in awful condition.
Residents said it all started after the implementation of a road improvement project.
They added that the condition of the road was better prior to the project.
The project included laying of granular sub-base, reinforcement, and drainage works, but residents claim these efforts have only worsened the situation.
Although several government officials visited the site after the issue was highlighted last year, villagers said no concrete action has been taken to address the problem.
The Tshogpa and residents have also written to district administration several times through gewog administration.
Jammu, a resident of Chungkha said “Before 2023, all kinds of vehicles travel on this road. However, after we got a road improvement project, the road condition deteriorated and only bolero pickup trucks can travel on this road. Ministers and other government officials visited the area and acknowledged that the road condition has deteriorated but nothing has been done.”
Nidup Dorji, another resident said “They have dug the road to lay granular sub-base. Initially, they did it properly. They have worked on stretches that need no maintenance and did not work where it was necessary. We feel they worked on stretches that had stones available. The village road committee was never ready to accept the handing taking of the road and we still have no idea how it was handed over.”
Pema Dorji, who is also a resident said “Government spent lots of money on improving the road and we were excited when the road improvement project commenced. However, the condition of the road now is awful. The quality of the work is very poor.”
Kado, Chugkha_Chhasilakha Tshogpa said “They dug a stretch of the road to lay granular sub-base. And after that, without completing the work, they suddenly moved to some other stretches to lay granular sub-base after which they said they had already worked on the required stretches. When audit officials investigated, it seemed like they have said to work on stretches they never worked.”
According to officials from the district administration, the road was properly maintained and handed over last year.
Officials said, recently, they inspected the road ahead of the liability period, and found that several stretches of the road were in need of maintenance. The contractor had agreed repair the roads wherever necessary.
Meanwhile, the former Chiwog Tshogpa, who was involved in the contract work, was terminated following the controversy.
Kinley Dem, Chhukha
Edited by Tshering Zam
