The Unexpected Responsibility

Article Series

Bronze Medal

Series of Articles

Receiving the Bronze Medal for 10 years of service to the nation is a deeply meaningful milestone in my civil service journey. Through this article series, I will look back on the past decade, reflect on my contributions, and share the experiences, challenges, lessons, and growth that have shaped my service to the nation.

The day after I arrived in Tingtibi, I formally submitted my joining letter and began my life as a civil servant.

I met many new faces in the office and was instructed to join the Construction Section under the Executive Engineer. After receiving my joining letter, the Chief Engineer looked at me and said, "As long as I am here as the Chief, you will work in the Construction Section."

With that, I handed over the joining letter to the Administration Section and officially became part of the regional office.

A table and chair were arranged for me inside the Executive Engineer's office. As a newly recruited engineer, I did not have many responsibilities initially. I had joined in the middle of the financial year, and the team had already completed most of the tendering work. Only one tender remained under evaluation after the bid opening.

My first assignment was simple—performing the arithmetic corrections for the tender evaluation. I completed the task carefully.

Around the same time, the department was undergoing a major transfer reshuffle. Several officers were leaving the regional office, while others were joining. One important portfolio involved the construction of Gewog Connectivity Roads in Upper Kheng.

Since I had been assigned to the Construction Section, I was not initially considered for taking over the project from the Project Engineer who had been transferred to another regional office. The office appeared to be waiting for someone suitable to take charge. Meanwhile, several transferred officers who had recently joined the regional office had not yet been assigned any project sites. Likewise, some officers due for transfer could not leave because no one was available to take over their projects.

A few weeks later, I received some unexpected news.

I met one of my in-service colleagues, with whom I had studied during our undergraduate years. I had no idea that he was serving in the same regional office. Had I known earlier, my journey to Tingtibi and my first days in the office would have been much easier. I could have sought his advice and guidance from the beginning. Unfortunately, he had been on leave when I first arrived.

When he returned, he quickly became my guide and mentor.

He was responsible for overseeing projects in Upper Kheng and was himself awaiting a transfer to another regional office. However, he could not leave because there was still nobody available to take over his responsibilities. The projects were located in remote villages, several days away from the regional office, making the handover particularly challenging.

From the day he returned from leave, I often approached him for guidance. He patiently explained the ongoing works and introduced me to the junior engineers working under him. To my surprise, one of them was a former high school classmate who was stationed at one of the project sites.

Suddenly, I found myself surrounded by familiar faces in an unfamiliar place. It was comforting to know that there were people I could rely on for both technical advice and personal support.

A few months later, another major change took place.

The Chief Engineer was transferred to Headquarters in Thimphu. The reasons were unclear, except that it was part of the broader reshuffling exercise. The Chief appeared reluctant to leave. Instead of immediately assuming his new posting, he chose to take leave and appointed a senior officer in the regional office to officiate in his absence.

Then came an unexpected development.

The Chief Engineer submitted his resignation from the civil service.

With his departure, the officiating officer assumed full responsibility for the regional office.

Around this period, many of the officers who had recently joined the regional office and had not yet been assigned project sites were mostly senior staff members. They knew each other well and often discussed project allocations and postings.

A few days later, I received an office order.

I was directed to take over as Project Engineer for the Upper Kheng Projects.

The unexpected responsibility (AI-generated image, to represent the content) 

While others had chosen postings that were generally considered more convenient and desirable, such as Panbang and Mangdechhu Sub-Division, I was assigned to the remote and challenging project areas of Upper Kheng.

By then, I had become familiar with most of the staff in the regional office, their responsibilities, and the locations where they worked. Yet the assignment still came as a surprise.

Soon after receiving the office order, the outgoing Project Engineer called me for a discussion. We met and talked about the projects that I would be taking over.

As a newcomer, I did not really know what questions to ask or what issues to look for.

He patiently briefed me about the ongoing works.

"There is one thing you should know," he said. "The projects are sensitive. Please be careful. Some people in the area are objecting to the construction activities because there are disputes regarding the road alignment."

I nodded and agreed.

Outwardly, I appeared calm. Inside, however, I was worried.

I had only recently joined the service. I had limited field experience, and now I was being entrusted with projects located in some of the most remote parts of the region, where technical challenges were compounded by social and community concerns.

Nevertheless, there was no turning back.

On 12 February 2015, we began our journey to the project sites for the formal handing-taking process.

The journey itself was demanding.

We left at around 9:00 in the morning and travelled through rough and difficult roads for the entire day. The road conditions were poor, and the long hours of travel were exhausting. By evening, we finally reached our destination.

The handing-taking process was completed the following day, on 13 February 2015.

When it was over, I officially assumed responsibility as the Project Engineer for the Upper Kheng Projects.

As I looked around the remote landscape and reflected on the journey that had brought me there, I realised that my life as a civil servant had entered a new phase.

What had begun with a simple office desk in Tingtibi had now evolved into a significant responsibility in one of the most remote corners of the country. The real learning was about to begin.