…around 340 roadblocks occurred in the country last year

YK Poudel

The Department of Surface Transport (DoST) launched a new mobile and web application ‘Bhutan Road Safety Watch’ yesterday to improve public awareness on frequent traffic disruptions caused by flash floods, landslides, and road maintenance.

Landslides, debris flow and flash floods are major causes of roadblocks in the country. Around 340 roadblocks occurred in the country last year, of which 16 percent were major disruptions.

Available in both android, iOS and web-based systems, the new application will provide real-time updates and information on road conditions.

According to the deputy executive engineer, Road Maintenance Planning and GIS Section of DoST, Dhan Raj Chhetri, the app helps users to easily locate and identify type of road closure, whether due to natural calamities or road maintenance works.

Around 340 roadblocks occurred in the country last year

“An image function linked to the roadblock information helps users gauge the scale and magnitude of the obstruction and estimate the time required for clearance,” he said.

An engineer at the DoST, Thinley Wangchuk, said that the application has features such as road block information, road maintenance, cautionary information, and road clearance updates.

“Commuters can also see real-time information of roadblock due to snowfall, slope failures, rock and debris fall, and landslides.”

“The app also allows commuters to message updates on roadblocks to the admin through a Facebook icon in the app,” he said. However, the details will be verified and updated accordingly.

More than 100 site engineers spread across the country will update real-time information on road conditions.

Bhutan Road Safety Watch app has four major roads available – AH 48, PNH 01, PNH 03 and PNH 05 – which are the major road categories under which all other roads in the country are linked.

The details are available both in Dzongkha and English.

The application was developed as a part of the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) Technical Co-operation Programme project. The project, which began in 2016 and concluded in July 2023.

The erstwhile G2C office developed user requirements for the app in 2019 while the GovTech Agency developed the detailed features of the application in 2022.

A total of Nu 800,000 was invested in the development of the app.