Road: With formation cutting on the first two packages of the Chazam-Buyang highway in Trashiyangtse complete, works on the final package is slated to begin soon.

For the final package stretching 17km from Doksum to Buyang, the Department of Roads (DoR) will be discussing with the Kholongchhu Hydroelectric Project (KHP) on the possibility of acquiring additional budget from the latter.

Assistant engineer with the Doksum field sub-division office, Dendup Dorji said the government has released Nu 25M for the final package.

“However, the budget would only be enough to complete works on few kilometres of the road,” he said. “Hence, along with KHP officials, we would inspect the site to work out an additional budget the project would commit.”

Currently, estimates are being drawn to find out what length of road could be widened with the released budget of 25M. The works would then be tendered out.

Given much easier terrain, Dendup Dorji said the widening works on the final package won’t be as difficult compared to the first two packages.

“Save for an inconvenient cliff near Buyang, the terrain is not treacherous. Neither would bypasses be necessary along the stretch. So we expect to complete works on time,” he said.

DoR has completed formation cutting on the first two packages—Chazam to Jamkhardrang (5.73km) and Jamkhardrang to Doksum (5km).

“Blacktopping along 2km of the first package is also complete. Besides the blacktopping, some permanent works are due for the first two packages,” he said.

Expected to be completed within the current Plan, works on the highway commenced on November 23, 2013.

On completion, the highway will be broadened to 10.5m from its initial width of 5.5m. The government has earmarked a budget of Nu 727M for the highway-widening project.

Tshering Wangdi | Trashiyangtse 

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