More than two months after the devastating Dechencholing flood, residents and businesses are still struggling due to bad road conditions. The flood has left the area covered in dust during dry spells and in mud during rainy days. This has disrupted livelihoods, in some cases, even forcing tenants to move out, with some shopkeepers having to keep their shops closed.
For residents and business owners living along the thromde road in Dechencholing, the bad road condition has not only affected their businesses but also made it hard for them to carry out their everyday chores like hanging clothes out to dry.
“The poor road condition is affecting our business. The excessive dust often forces us to close our doors, resulting in a loss of customers. If the road conditions improve, I think we will have customers, and our business will bounce back,” said Dorji Chezom, a restaurant and bar owner at Dechencholing.
House owners BBS talked to were concerned about their ability to pay loans, with some of their tenants vacating their apartments due to the poor road condition, made worse by the shortage of water.
Some residents said they had submitted applications to the thromde office requesting improvements to the road condition. However, they have yet to receive a response from the office.
The Thimphu District Administration said that they had received Nu 10 M from the Ministry of Finance for response, relief, and restoration efforts.
They said that the funds were used to make the road temporarily motorable, for landscaping work in the Royal Body Guard compound, ensure water supply, and provide food relief during the disaster.
Meanwhile, officials from Thimphu Thromde said that, as of now, they do not have any directives on how the budget will be allocated for the resurfacing or repair of the highway. They added that they are currently seeking funds from the Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management for the necessary repairs.
As the road remains unrepaired, residents and businesses await definitive action from the authorities to restore the essential infrastructure.
Pema Tshomo & Karma Samten Wangda
Edited by Kipchu
