A bailey bridge over Phochhu at Wolathang in Punakha’s Toewang Gewog is urgently needed to improve transportation. Currently, people rely on a 200-foot suspension bridge, which has been in use for over four decades, to cross the river by carrying goods on their backs. Residents say this causes difficulties, especially when transporting heavy loads.
This suspension bridge is used daily by students from Kewana-Tshachhuphu Chiwog to attend school at Wolathang, located across the river. The area also has an outreach clinic and an Early Childhood Care and Development centre.
Although there are roads on both sides of the river, the absence of a motorable bridge forces people to carry their goods across the suspension bridge on foot.
Moreover, the residents raise concerns about safety as the bridge becomes slippery due to frost in winter. Moreover, water level rises during summer, increasing the risk for those using the bridge.
“Now the bailey bridge is very important for the other side of the river because of the children, even for the people to travel. The distance from here to Samdingkha is much shorter compared to the road there. People on the other side will not have to depend on the other road, which is connected with Chhubu Gewog,” said Damcho Duba, a resident of Tamidamchhu-Thambji Chiwog.
“It is particularly risky during summer. After school, two teachers always supervise the children as they cross the bridge, allowing them to go one by one. Even parents face difficulties when bringing their children to school. A bailey bridge would benefit both the parents and the school by making the crossing safer and easier,” said Pema Dorji, a teacher at Wolathang Primary School.
“If we had a motorable bridge, parents could drop off their children in the morning and pick them up in the evening. It would also make it much easier for everyone to visit the gewog centre and transport vegetables to the market as this route would be shorter than the alternative,” said Tshering Wangmo, Kewana-Tshachhuphu Tshogpa.
The issue has been raised several times in the Dzongkhag Tshogdu, but the plan to construct a bailey bridge has not been successful due to budget constraints. However, the gewog administration is once again giving priority to the project.
“We plan to construct a motorable bridge with a budget of Nu 5 M from the Small Development Project for the 2024-2025 financial year. If this budget is not enough, we will request additional funds from the relevant ministries. The people of Toewang Gewog are confident that they will support us,” said Ugyen Karma, Toewang Gup.
Once the bailey bridge is constructed, it will not only benefit the people of Toewang Gewog but also people from across the country who visit Chhubu Tshachhu.
Changa Dorji, Punakha
Edited by Sonam Pem
