The Lhuenste District’s Tender Committee terminated contract works for the construction of three bailey bridges in Gangzur, Tsaekhar and Maedtsho Gewog. The tender committee terminated the contract after the contractor failed to complete the work in time. The construction of the bailey bridges in the three gewogs has remained long overdue and the delay in the completion of the works has left the residents in a state of helplessness.
In Gangzur Gewog, without a motorable bridge over Shawa chu, the monks studying at Thimyul Monastic school are compelled to use the ancient trail to carry rations from the road point.
“We will be grateful to have a motorable bridge constructed over Shawa chu. When we go to buy rations, it is inconvenient to carry rations to the monastic school from the road point. As the monks are too small to carry the rations, we have just one cook to bring it from the road point,” said Sonam Gyeltshen, a teacher at Thimyul Monastic School in Gangzur Gewog.
The story is no different for the people of Thimyul, Kyidloong and Rotpa villages in Gangzur. Some school-going children of Rotpa village studying at Thimyul Lower Secondary School have to risk their lives while crossing the Shawa chu every summer. The suspension bridge over the river was washed away by a flash flood a few years ago.
“Without a motorable bridge, we have to use an ancient route. If we have a motorable bridge we can travel by car,” said Rinchen Dorji, a resident of Gangzur Gewog.
“During the time of harvest, farmers carry the grains on their backs via the ancient route which takes about two hours to reach home. If there is a bridge, farmers can transport the grains in their vehicles,” added Karma Chophel, another resident of Gangzur Gewog.
The issue was also raised during the Prime Minister’s visit to Lhuentse in August this year.
According to the District Engineer Kelzang Lhendup, despite conducting several meetings and issuing reminder letters, the contractor refused to launch the bridge parts after completing the site development works at Shawa river, Fawan river and Oongar river in Lhuentse.
“The contract works include the construction of a 170-feet bailey bridge over the Shawa river, the construction of a 120-feet bailey bridge at Oongar and 90-feet bailey bridge for the people of Fawan Toed in Tsaenkhar gewog. The contractor was given 15 months but he failed to procure and bring the bridge parts within that period. We have also issued 11 reminder letters to the contractor within the contract period.”
He also said that the contractor requested the termination during the final negotiation. The contract works worth Nu 28 M were awarded in May 2020 and it was supposed to be complete by the mid of August last year. The contractor was given eight months time extension due to the pandemic.
The engineer said the district tender committee has already sanctioned 60 per cent of the total amount to the contractor.
After discussing with the Department of Roads, the District Tender Committee has now awarded the construction works of bailey bridges to another contractor. The launching of bridge parts is expected to begin by March next year.
“With support from the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement, we have already awarded the tender works and also issued a letter of intent for the construction of the bailey bridge over the Shwawa river and at Fawan Toed. And we will soon issue the work order. We have also allocated Nu 15 M in the current financial year for the two bailey bridges. We have requested Druk Green Power Corporation to construct the 120-feet bailey bridge at Oongar and they have already deployed the trucks and machinery at the site,” said Kelzang Lhendup, the District Engineer.
Meanwhile, the proprietor of the Construction Company said the launching of bridge parts got delayed due to the pandemic. He added that he has requested the tender committee to give a time extension till January next year.
The contractor is planning to appeal to the Bhutan Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre based in Thimphu for arbitration.
Sonam Tshering, Lhuentse
Edited by Phub Gyem