The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The ADB funded Thimphu road improvement project in Mothithang, which kicked off on May 24 will, over a period of 18 months, result in better roads, new drains and footpaths.
The contract has been awarded to Hi-Tech & Chimmi R D Joint Venture at a contract amount of Nu 38.6 mn for 5.2 km of roads, 3.6 km drains and a km of footpath construction.
Tshering Dorji, Asst. Engineer, INFRA road, Thimphu Thromde said that since the sewer section that led to digging of the road did not finish their work on time, it delayed the road contract.
The second reason why they started late is that the work earlier was somehow incomplete because the holes had been filled with unwanted materials.
“Technically, we have to wait for a year time after formation cutting for settlement,” he said.
He also said that though the work of sewerage network was over last month they are yet to do the inspection chamber and household connection.
The plan is to black top the road at the earliest but the monsoon is posing challenges. “We never get a dry road surface for blacktopping, we have tendency to make a work plan based on the weather forecast, and accordingly we go attacking the dry days,” he said.
Dendup Lhamo, site engineer of the project, said that during the laying of sewer pipes beneath the roads, they have dug the roads whereby the Asphalt Concrete (ACC) were all obliterate and filled with huge rocks.
“We cannot do blacktopping over that, we have to take out the filled holes and refill with GAB and WMM (Wet Mix Macadam), roll it and black-top it. There will be little difference in the estimated quantity in this,” she said.
“The main challenge here is when we dig up the drains and roads, we come across many water pipes and electric wires, which gets cut in the process of work and we have to be very careful,” she added.
As of now, she said that, they have a plan to work and complete the drainage work until monsoon gets over and carry out blacktopping after monsoon season.
“I think we can complete the work as per the contract period by November 2018,” she said.
The proprietor of Chime Phagma Construction, a contractor of Motithang sewer work said that, though they have handed over the work to Thromde they are yet to complete their work during the rectification period.
He said, “Two to three manhole surface were stolen and we will be replacing them by our self because we do not know the culprit”, adding that if any issue arise in one year’s time, it all have to be done by the contractor, as it is in the liability period.
In addition, he also said that, due to continuous rainfall the cement were all worn-out, which have to be re-done. Moreover, he also said that, with continuous traffic flow, they face difficulty in setting up the roads.
“Other than this, the blacktopping will be done by Thimphu Thromde”, he added.
Meanwhile, K.P Construction, a contractor of Changangkha sewer work said that, they have no issue so far and that the roads are blacktopped after handing over the work to Thromde.
