The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Although the highway has seen some maintenance in recent times, the bypasses under the Changjiji and Olarongchu bridges stick out like a sore thumb with pot-holes riddling them.
These roads have been ignored by town planners while motorists using the bypasses suffer damages to their vehicles, mostly during the monsoon when water accumulate in the craters. Therefore, motorists, to avoid such inconveniences, drive all the way to the confluence which leads to the Royal Thimphu College resulting in over speeding.
Chief engineer of Thimphu City Corporation (TCC), Mahesh Pradhan said that the corporation has been unable to look into the problem as of now because of lack of necessary building materials.
“But the repair works will start soon,” he added.
These bypasses, according to the Department of Roads (DoR), were constructed for civilians living across Changjiji to avoid going all the way to Babesa in order to return to Thimphu.
The executive engineer at DoR said that since the roads were constructed, traffic congestion along the express way has reduced by half.
DoR had handed over a 211.85-km stretch of road to TCC in June 30, 2011 along with funds to maintain the roads. Even engineers were reportedly transferred to TCC for enhanced efficiency and professionalism for handling the project.
Though the DoR claims to have handed over the by-passes included in the said stretch of road in good condition, TCC officials claim that they were already full of potholes when TCC took over.
Besides the bypass, the rest of the roads handed over across Thimphu were also poorly maintained and improper drainage system contributed to the problem, said the engineers at TCC.
Though the road which leads from Lungtenphug to Dechencholing was also constructed by DoR, it is now under TCC.
please repair the roads before the rains. even the lateral road from simtokha to lungtenpzampa has to be enlarged for double lane in order to decongest the so called express way along babesa.
I agree to what dordor says. The roads are in pathetic condition. Obviously, this leads to people speeding on the express way & the police personnel penalizing the speeders. TCC should consider this a priority.
In addition, there is a need for a over head bridge to be built over the express way considering the risk to students, shoppers & pedestrians in general. I see the following ‘pedestrian over head bridge’ important in reducing accidents & safety for drivers as well as pedestrians.
1. in front of the Shearee Square
2. in front of Dr. Tobgyel School
Just a thought!