Financial Year 2016 - 2017

The road history of Upper Kheng (UK) is in making. The most controversial GC road construction in the history of Department of Roads has been completed. Formation cutting of additional length of 1.24km to the newly proposed Gewog Centre is yet to complete with trace cutting already reached its termination point. Formation cutting of Bardo Gewog centre road (Therang - Khomshar GC road) will be completed within this financial year 2016 -2017. Trace cutting has already been terminated at the Gewog centre. 

 

Beautiful Khomshar before road construction

Survey work for the new road that will connect Khomshar under Zhemgang and Wama under Mongar Dzongkhag is underway with Lingmithang regional office undertaking the feasibility survey until Ngomila. The road construction activity is in 12th fifth year plan. The road will connect Central and Eastern Dzongkhag. 

Construction completion of GC roads has welcomed many farm roads under Shingkhar and Bardo Gewogs. Within 2015 -2016 financial year, two farm roads to Radhi and Thrisa village with 7.10 km and 9.17km respectively started its construction. Another two farm roads to Changkhar and Thajong is yet to start. 

Bardo Gewog's farm roads to Phulabi and Dratshang (Gonpa) awaits trace cutting of GC road to reach Gewog centre, since all takeoff points of the farm roads are from Gewog centre road. Factually, UK's development mode is on. 

 

Thrisa Farm road takeoff from GC road

With Chamkharchu Hydropower soon to start, roads condition and people's lives will be drastically improved. 

Nimshong Sub-division office is mandated for management and administration of road projects of UK. It has blacktopping and maintenance of Buli - Nimshong (30.2km) and Phumithang Dratshang road (3.35km), formation cutting of Shingkhar and Bardo GC roads works at hand. 

Budget proposal for the fiscal year 2016 - 2017 amounting to roughly Nu. 150.00 million was farsighted move. Among various proposed improvement activities of GC roads, budget for construction of only three Bailey bridges were approved with RGoB financing. 

Government has pledged and prioritized blacktopping of all Gewog centre roads within 2018. Within these two financial years period, Shingkhar GC and Bardo GC road till Bardo contemplate to complete. The total GC roads to blacktop lengthen to 59.06km after completion of Therang - Khomshar GC road. 

Therefore, as per the fiscal budget approval and work plan accordingly, I wish for timely release of the budget and timely completion of work. 

My driver got a Gift

I and my teammates, consisting of a forest range officer, junior engineers, and a driver, were on an excursion one fine Sunday to Chamkhar chu and a nearby small stream. The day was filled with joy. We collected fern and mushroom. We tried our luck to bait trout. Not for killing and eating, but for outlandish study by an engineer! It was a long wait sitting on the huge boulder, eyeing to feel the jerk. There was no bite. 

Crab found in Sibjigang stream

We went on to a small tributary. We left no stone unturned in search of trout to see what it really looks like. I heard it is among the most delicious fish. Finally, we got one. The ranger confirmed it to be snow trout. I photographed it.

In the meanwhile, I posed for photographs with fish on my palm. I directed my driver to focus on the trout on the palm with a blurred background. The fish was stifling without water. After a few shutter sounds, I said, "It is ok, enough. The fish is dying." 

Snow trout found in tributary of Chamkhar chu

After a while we rested under the cool umbrella of a huge tree. We drank Foster and juice to refresh ourselves. I was going through the photos snapped during our course of exhaustive search for fish.

'Where is my photo with fish?' I inquired of him. 'Here,' he pointed to the photo below after scrolling a few.  

A gift or token of remembrance. Simply cool!!

I was like, WHAT?!!!, after seeing the photo. He was simply smiling and said, 'Keep it as a token of long remembrance, sir.'

Bird

Therang - Shingkhar GC Road construction II

Starting from the feasibility study to construction was divisive. Controversies hindered the project by almost three months. Initially people discussed and minuted to change alignment, diverting away from the mandate of having the GC road be the shortest possible. The initial construction by the Dzongkhag administration deviated from the mandates outlined in the Guidelines and Specifications. The gradient was high enough for vehicles to ply. The department had to propose the gradient correction work for 3.18 km in length, and unluckily certain length of the road passes through private land. Repeated bulldozing through private land proved injustice. Yet, holistic discussions with the landowner made it a success.

The target for this fiscal year was 8.10 km. The total length of the road as per the feasibility survey report was 11.32 km. 3.18 km was already trace cut by Dzongkhag but left with a high gradient, and the department had to do correction work. Despite public unfriendliness with the construction work, management risked completing the whole remaining length (8.1 km) in this fiscal year.

Roads are the topmost priority of the government and people's wants and needs as well. It is a crucial facility for development and prosperity. Impossibility is guaranteed to develop far-flung villages and communities without a road network.

Gradient correction work through pvt land. 

Everywhere, the concerns may be similar. People grant and sign a no objection agreement if a road passes through their private land during the initial stage of feasibility studies. During the construction stage, people aren't happy because they care about their land since it is their livelihood. This disagreement arose during the construction of the Shingkhar GC road. It marked as the most controversial road construction in the history of the Department of Roads, with frequent media reports at the national level.

Despite hectic pressure from the public, construction management was a real challenge. It is best to act holistically, considering the laws of the land. No one is above the law. The last resort for every disagreement is with laws and the system to decide. Decision-taking is the toughest, and pronouncing the advantage of larger interest is best. Never decide in view of self-gain. Lead with laws, and every problem will have strict solutions. Finally, few individuals were apprehended.

Lyonpo Lekey's recent visit to his Gewog connected with road. 

People tense when the law acts. After apprehension, apprehensive thought about the project was ended. Construction progressed well, and it is my glory to inform the general public that the construction of the Therang-Shingkhar GC road is completed. Yet an additional length of 1.24 km to the proposed new gewog center is under construction. Hopefully by the beginning of fiscal year 2016-2017 it will be completed.

I applaud and thank my concerned site engineer for the dedicated work, and as a team we grow. 

Bird