Infrastructure: Work has begun to blacktop the Bemji gewog centre road in Trongsa.

A contractor is currently widening the farm road at certain narrow sections and once complete, blacktopping will commence.

The 17km farm road that starts from Bjizam till the new gewog centre at the base of Bemji is inaccessible to most vehicles because of its muddy conditions as a result of rain.

“The road gets blocked especially during the summer,” said Sonam Lham, 43, who resides beside the farm road. She added that taxis also charged higher rates given the poor road conditions.

Roads department chief engineer in Trongsa, Tougay Choedup said Bemji is one of the last gewog roads in Trongsa to be blacktopped. He said bridges are already in place but the contractor has to construct some multi-cell culverts as per the contract document.

The 19.5km Korphu gewog centre road is the other one being constructed in the dzongkhag.

The Nu 39.2 million contract to blacktop the Bemji gewog centre road was awarded in May this year and should be completed by April 2018.

Blacktopping of the Korphu road began in January this year and is scheduled to be completed by December 2017.

Other gewogs like Langthel, Drakteng and Tangsibi have already had their roads blacktopped.

Nima Wangdi | Bemji

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