Road: In an effort to decongest the Thimphu-Babesa expressway, the Thimphu thromde will begin constructing a 1.13km road from Druk School in Changzamtok to Debsi.
A chief engineer with Thimphu thromde said that the construction of the road from Changzamtok to Debsi is in the thromde’s plan and the corridor has been reserved for the road.
However, he added that in some areas, the designated boundary requires additional land. “Thromde officials will resurvey and redesign the project.”
The engineer said that the existing ring road in Changzamtok faces frequent traffic congestion and that the plot owners in the area deserve the road facility as it falls under the city.
Construction of the road will be expensive but it will benefit many plot owners living in the area as well as those who have to frequently use the expressway, the engineer said.
The engineer added that normally such projects are contracted out but for this project, the thromde will execute the formation cutting of the road because of several requirements like land clearance, and compensation, among others.
The area has many developed structures like buildings and if the thromde has to go by the initial design and plan, then some buildings will have to be demolished.
“We will workout and find a middle path so that the settlement as well as the road width geometry are not affected,” the engineer said.
Underground utilities like water supply, sewerage lines, electrical and telephone cables will have to be relocated.
“It will not be easy for contractors to start the work because of the challenges,” the engineer said. “However, the finishing road work will be contracted out.”
The second expressway will measure 6km.
The engineer said that there was no proper survey and design carried out for construction of the road till Debsi.
Moreover, after 1.13km from the construction road point, the territory falls under the dzongkhag.
The Indian government had provided Nu 50 million, which is 15 percent of the total project cost of 1.13km road.
Dechen Tshomo