Centre Fails to Renovate 45-km Assam-Bhutan Road

OUR CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: The government of India has failed to improve the 45-km stretch of the Samthaibari-Gelegphu (Bhutan) road in the Chirang district of the BTR in Assam for a long time. The immediate and good neighbour of the country, Bhutan, has been facing all difficulties to pass this stretch that has been lying in an extremely deplorable state for several years.

Bhutanese vehicles pass the Samthaibari-Gelegphu road at snail’s pace with a risk of breakdown. Improvement and development of this stretch is a small task for India, but what has stopped it from undertaking a project is a common question for all.

It is a matter of shame that the Bhutan Export Association (BEA) of Bhutan was compelled to repair the Samthaibari-Gelegphu international road in India, from the entrance gate to Bhutan at Datgari (India) to Shantipur (20 km) in the Chirang district of the BTR, Assam. The 45-km-long Samthaibari-Gelegphu (Bhutan) from National Highway-31 (C) has been lying in extremely dilapidated condition for a couple of years. The government of Assam could repair the road only to Bhur Tinali from Samthaibari till 2023, while the rest 20 km were left with massive potholes.

It is a harrowing experience for the travellers from Bhutan and India to move via this road. The Samthaibari-Gelegphu road is the lifeline of Bhutan’s southern town, Gelegphu, the fast-progressing business and tourist centre of Bhutan. Gelegphu is also one of the most important trade centres between Bhutan and BTR, as various farm products from either side get exported or imported. Earlier, people used to reach Gelegphu in 20 minutes from Shantipur to Gelegphu (Bhutan), but now it takes around two hours to reach the 20-kilometre distance due to deplorable road conditions.

Local people from across the border in the Chirang district and Sarpang Dzongkhag in Bhutan hailed the initiative of the Bhutan Export Association (BEA) to repair the 20-km stretch of the Samthaibari-Gelegphu road in September last year. The repairing works started from Datgari to Shantipur, both in India, where Bhutanese heavy rollers, dredgers, and dumpers were pressed into service for repairing works.

The Sentinel correspondent last year talked to the leaders of the Bhutan Export Association (BEA) and was informed that the BEA took the initiative of repairing the 20-kilometre stretch of road in consultation with its Indian counterpart as the road had turned into its ugliest form. They also said that the BEA took just Grouted Semi-flexible Pavement (GPS) repairs with sand and gravel on the surface, sending machinery in the Datgari-Shantipur stretch as an immediate measure for relief.

 The 30-km Bishmuri-Sarpang (Bhutan) road in the Kokrajhar district connecting the headquarters of Sarpang Dzongkhag is also in deplorable condition. The repair of this road is yet to be taken up, though assurances are given by the government of Assam and BTC from time to time.

Also read: Finally, Bhutan’s export body compelled to repair the Samthaibari-Gelegphu road (sentinelassam.com)

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