Nima Wangdi | Bumthang 

Chhokhortoed and Dhur farm roads, as promised during the bye-election last year, will be blacktopped after monsoon.

With frequent rainfall, the road is wet but pliable for all kind of vehicle as wet mix macadam (WMM) has already been laid.

While Chhokhortoed farm road is ready to be blacktopped, GSB and WMM on the Dhur farm road is being carried out.

Contractor Tenzin Choda said that Chhokhortoed road would have been blacktopped by this time but due to the early monsoon, it had to be delayed.

“We brought 20 labourers paying around Nu 500,000 for their quarantine and other expenses,” he said but had to be sent back since the rain did not stop.

Chhokhortoed farm road is 15 kilometres and Dhur 8.5 Killometres.

Choda said blacktopping of Dhur road will start after Chhokhortoed road.

The blacktopping work will likely begin from September end. The work has to be completed by March 2023.

Tenzin Choda said there has been huge cost escalation due to the pandemic. A barrel of bitumen, he said now cost Nu 12,000. “The price of diesel has also increased.”

Meanwhile, Tang farm road blacktopping work is also on track. It has to be complete by February 2023.

Lyonchhen Dr Lotay Tshering visited the site on his way to Chokhortoe on July 21 after meeting the people at Chokhor gewog centres at Dawathang in the afternoon.

Lyonchhen met the dzongkhag and Thromde officials yesterday.

Lyonchhen said that in all the 204 gewogs, the biggest project is laying GSB on the farm roads. “Just having a road is not enough, they should be good.”