With the proposal to construct a farm road from Tongling Pam chiwog to the middle secondary school in Radhi gewog, Trashigang through, villagers in the chiwog are looking forward to a better life.

The gewog has proposed to construct a 1.5km farm road from the chiwog to the school located few metres away from the gewog centre.

Radhi gup, Kulung, said a budget of Nu 3 million (M) has been proposed in the 2019-2020 fiscal year for the road. “Unlike other farm roads, we plan to construct this road with a proper base course and drainage system so that it won’t be a problem for us during monsoon.”

In the absence of a farm road, residents of Tongling Pam chiwog have been travelling some 12km to reach the gewog centre and the school through the main highway.

“Because it was a very long journey to the school and without a vehicle then, we cleared a mule track for people and especially students to reach the school faster,” said the chiwog tshogpa, Sherab Jamtsho.

The mule track is about 2.5km from the chiwog to the school and gewog centre. “Although the journey has been shortened, the track is risky especially during monsoon,” said the tshogpa.

He said there are four streams between the school and Tongling Pam chiwog. “All four streams swell during monsoon posing danger to the people and students using the track.”

Today, there are seven students using the track to attend school along with other villagers who have to frequently visit the gewog centre.

Once of the villagers, Dawa Gyeltshen, said that with the completion of the farm road, farmers who have their paddy fields on the other side of the streams would also be benefitted.

“Many of us have our paddy fields on the other side of the stream and it is tedious especially during harvest time to carry the paddy back home,” he said. “Power tillers become useless because we cannot transport it through the mule track.”

The 48-year-old farmer said that once the road is connected, the travel time to the gewog center, school and paddy fields would be reduced drastically. “The new road would take us less than five minutes on vehicle to reach the gewog centre or the school,” he said. “Not only will it help the students and parents but also it will help farmers collect their harvest.”

Tshogpa, Sherab Jamtsho said that the farm road would also benefit the people of Shongphu, Sakteng, Merak and Phongmey gewogs as most people from these gewogs use the current mule track.

“We are happy that our request have been granted but now we would like to request the authorities concerned to prioritise this road so that people can be benefitted at the earliest.”

Younten Tshedup | Radhi