Local leaders in Samdrup Jongkhar want the Department of Surface Transport to speed up the works to take over the management of the Gewog Centre, GC roads. If not, they want the road maintenance budget increased. The issue was raised during the recent Samdrup Jongkhar Dzongkhag Tshogdu. Currently, Gewog offices in the district are provided Nu 33,000 for the upkeep of one kilometre of road annually.
From 11 Gewogs in the district, GC roads of Martshala and Serthig Gewogs are at their worst condition.
The roads are riddled with potholes and the blacktop has worn off. Without adequate financial and human resources, the Gewog offices are finding it difficult to keep the roads in good condition.
“Gewog offices do not have enough manpower and technical expertise. It’s not only the Gewogs that are facing a shortage of manpower but the entire country. However, if we are provided with enough budget, we will somehow manage to maintain the roads,” said Yenten Dorji, Martshala Gup.
“If the situation stays like this, the roads will keep giving problems to the people. So, we think that it will be better if the management of GC roads is taken care of by the Department of Surface Transport as in the past,” said Tshewang Tenzin, Serthig Gup.
The joint sitting of the third parliament in December last year endorsed the transfer of construction and maintenance of GC roads to the Department of Surface Transport. This is after the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament recommended that the Local Government lack the technical competence and resources to construct and maintain GC roads.
Meanwhile, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Dorji Tshering said that the ministry is currently working on the takeover.
While in Samdrup Jongkhar, the Dzongkhag Tshogdu asked the officials of the Department of Surface Transport and the Gewog administrations to work together and follow up on the issue.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
Edited by Kipchu
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