Connectivity: The people of Laya are not happy with the farm road that connects Laya with Gasa.

Laya gup, Kinley Dorji, said that Layaps were particularly dissatisfied with the quality of the 26km road.

The gewog raised the issue of poor road quality at the fifth dzongkhag tshogdu (DT), when the first 10km of the farm road was completed.

The dzongkhag said it would improve the road, especially the 800m stretch between Sapchasipchu and Etotshang, which has the major problem.

“We think that construction wasn’t done as per the survey results,” said Kinley Dorji.

Gup Kinley Dorji said that the work was handed to the dzongkhag without improving the 800m stretch in 2014.  No office or individual at the gewog level was informed about the dzongkhag’s decision.

Since it is a gewog centre (GC) road, gewog’s involvement is a must to check the quality of the completed work, said Kinley Dorji.

Site engineer, Karma, said the survey for the farm road was conducted between 2011 and 2012, during which time the gewog had sent 10 people, along with the gewog mangmi and representatives from the ministry of works and human settlement.

Despite facing immense difficulty due to unfavourable weather conditions, the work was going well, he said. “We had a difficult time clearing the first 10km of the road. Turnings had to be cut from different areas as it was impossible to clear the rocks.”

The road construction has reached the second stage.  There is now the challenge of cutting through a huge rock face.

The new Gasa dzongda is yet to visit the site to inspect the problems.

By Dawa Gyelmo 

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