Choki Wangmo | Dagana

The resurfacing of Sunkosh-Dagapela road which is supposed to begin this month will only begin towards the end of  next month.

This, according to a Department of Roads (DoR) official in Tsirang, is due to the monsoon which could hamper the progress and the quality of the road.

The 44-km which is in dire need of resurfacing has irked commuters for a long time. The condition worsens during the monsoon.

A bus driver, who uses the road every day, said that it was difficult to use the road when it rains. “It is uncomfortable for passengers and the maintenance cost of the vehicle is high.”

He said that they had been told that resurfacing work would start soon but it prolonged.

A Dagana resident said that he was frustrated with the poor road conditions. “No one seems to take the contractor to the task. This work has been dragging on.”

At the site, the road which is in poor condition is narrow with construction materials piled up on the roadside at several locations. This made vehicle crossing more difficult.

The DoR official said that about 3-km of the first phase and the second package of road construction need to be completed which includes blacktopping.

“As soon as the monsoon ends, we will begin work. Required materials and resources are deployed at the site,” he said.

He said that the road construction works would end by mid-November, adding that minor construction works such as the drainage facilities were complete.

At a project cost of Nu 77 million (M)—Nu 53M would be used to resurface Dagapela-Risumgang road and Nu 36M to resurface Sunkosh-Risumgang road.

Except for this stretch, the condition of the Sunkosh-Dagapela highway has improved in recent years.

Edited by Tshering Palden