Besides two road blocks along Trongsa-Gelephu and Mongar-Pemagatshel highways, more than five gewog centre (GC) roads remain blocked in the country.

Starting 27.8km chainage from Gyelposhing to Nganglam, the road is blocked due to landslides.

Engineer with DoR, Sanman Tamnag, said that to reach Gongrizampa, the block starting from chainage 27.8km needs clearing. “We have an excavator and a backhoe deployed. The clearing will take about ten days.”

He said that after clearing the block, the construction of a bridge at Gongrizampa will begin that is expected to be completed next year.

Along the Gelephu-Tingtibi road, the block at Ossey occurred due to heavy rain.

Engineer with DoR, Sonam Jamtsho, said that small vehicles could ply but travelling would be still risky. “The road width needs to be widened and the work will start soon,” he said.

According to DoR, major roadblocks were also reported on the Chhukha GC roads.

DoR engineer Neten Tshering said that Ganglakha-Dungna GC road in Chhukha was blocked for about three months. “Landslides washed away some part of the road. Small vehicles can ply, but the clearing will finish in about a week’s time,” he said.

Drudingkha to Metakha GC road is also blocked due to landslides.

According to DoR, Budina to Phusa road in Chhukha was blocked since July 5.

In Sarpang, three GC roads remain blocked due to swollen river.

Sonam Jamtsho said that the GC road in Umling and Tareythang remain closed to traffic due to swollen Taklaichhu. “The bridge is being constructed and it will take some time,” he said.

Weather and Climate Services Division’s deputy chief, Tayba B Tamang, said that there is no severe weather forecast for the next three days. “The weather across the country is partly to mostly cloudy with light rain in isolated places of southern, western, and eastern Bhutan.”

Phurpa Lhamo