Work on farm-road resumes

Thimpu: Work on the 7.5 km Kakaling-Bemji farm-road in Trongsa, which was stalled for about two years, resumed last week. The road, which will benefit the villages of Chela, Simphu, Kaba, Daba, Pang and Bemji, is expected to be completed within 12 months. Construction of the road began in early 2005 but, after one and a half kilometers was completed, work was suspended because of differences between the beneficiaries.

The then Nubi gup had consulted the people of Chela, Kaba, Daba, Simphu, Bemji and Pang villages and got their consent to allow the construction even if it affected their land but he had not consulted the people of Dengzhing village. The gup was under the impression that Dhenzhing village would not be affected as the village is located further down the valley.

When the road construction affected a landowner in Dhenzhing village, he brought the work to a halt by building a fence across the freshly cut road. The problem was solved a year later after the gewog agreed to compensate the landowner.

The Nu 8.75 million farm-road comes under the decentralized rural development project (DRDP). “Finally, we’ll have a farm road,” said a 44-year-old farmer from Bemji, Wangdi Norbu. “We’ll no longer have to carry school and hospital material and equipment.”