Road constructions being prioritized in the east: MoWHS Minister

Maenbi Tsaenkhar MP, Choki Gyeltshen, during the Question & Hour Session in the National Assembly (NA) asked the Ministry of Work and Human Settlement (MoWHS) on when the construction of Shingkhar-Gorgan Highway and the bypass between Trashiyangtse and Lhuentse via Dongla will be started.

MoWHS Minister, Dorji Tshering, said that the Shingkhar-Gorgan road will bring no positive impact on the eastern dzongkhags, and therefore, the construction of the road at Shingkhar will have to be postponed.

Lyonpo Dorji Tshering said, “I feel that way, and the experts say the same. If we are to develop the eastern dzongkhags and Lhuentse dzongkhag – then we will first have to properly maintain the road which connects Lingmithang road via Ura.”

Instead of Shingkhar-Gorgan, the government is doing its best by working on the Kamichu-Dagala road and Thrimshing-Gomdar road and few more roads, which would benefit the commuters, Lyonpo said.

Lyonpo further added, “After consulting with people in Lhuentse dzongkhag and with the various studies, we felt that the priority should be given to road construction at Lhuentse, which would connect various places.”

With that, Lyonpo said that they are constructing the 65 km road after a thorough study on budgeting and DPR. Considering the number of vehicles and commuters between Tangmachu and Lhuentse, they will soon start the construction of 15 km road.

Meanwhile, Jomotshangkha Martshala MP, Norbu Wangzom, asked about the progress on the East-West Highway, especially from Bumthang- Ura to Mongar-Lingmithang, MoWHS Minister responded that the road construction till Ura is already complete.

In addition, he said that the road construction between Mongar to Trashigang has also been completed. Nevertheless, the road construction between Ura and Lingmithang has been left out. However, this is now given the priority, and the construction work is going on.

The work was awarded to 8 different contractors with a total budget of Nu 1 billion and the work is progressing well, Lyonpo added.

MoWHS has connected the highway roads between Samrang and Jomotshangkha, and the budgeting and DPR process is completed for the road construction between Nanglam and Deothang.