Widening: Residents living along the Paro-Bondey road are irked that widening works on the five-kilometre (km) is taking almost three years to complete.

The widening works on the highway according to residents have caused a lot of dust besides huge potholes.

Nidup, who lives near Khangku, said it has become difficult to ply along the stretch especially during monsoon. “I wonder why a five km stretch is taking this long,” he said.

A Woochu resident, Chencho said the road better be worth for the time its taking to complete.  “I lost a portion of my land to the widening works but because its for a larger cause, I didn’t have any issue,” he said, adding that going by the amount of time it took, he along with other residents expect quality works.

Wangchang gup Thinley Dorji agreed that the widening works have taken longer than expected. He also said people complained a lot about the issue but no written complaints have been filed. “Retention walls have been brought down and the widening works have affected schools and residents along the highway,” he said.

Project DANTAK is carrying out the widening works which began in February 2013. DANTAK officials said the widening works from Bondey to Paro town is part of the widening works on the Paro to Drugyel dzong road that started since April 2012.

In an email interview, DANTAK officials said that widening works have been completed in all respect from Paro to Drugyel dzong. “However, widening works from Paro town to Bondey is nearing completion except for a 200 metre (m) stretch near the bird’s eye view point,” Colonel Balamurugan of 19 BRTF said.

Colonel Balamurugan also said that works are progressing slowly given the blasting restrictions in the vicinity of the Paro International Airport. “We are also dealing with it sensitively because of the local people and to minimise inconveniences,” he said.

But DANTAK officials said works on the 200m stretch, is expected to complete soon. While surfacing works would resume after the monsoon, the surfacing of the remaining 2 km from Bondey-Paro is also likely to be completed this December end.

Kinga Dema, Paro

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