What is it with our roads? All of a sudden, our roads are at the center of our focus and, trouble!
Note the following media reports in Bhutan as well as in India:
“Construction of 68.3 Kms. Nganglam-Dewathang highway: deferred indefinitely”.
“The 98Kms. Lhamoizingkha-Sarbang highway aborted”.
“Project Dantak will execute the 52km widening from Trashigang-Yadi”.
“The 546km Thimphu-Trashigang road widening work begins next month”.
“Chazam-Duksum road widening work well on track”.
“Shingkhar-Gorgan road makes it to the 11th Plan”.
“India seems not to have lost its hope of building a road through Bhutan to have an easier access to Tawang, near the Sino-Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh, from the plains of Assam. Bhutan is not willing to allow the construction of the road because of objections from China”.
“Quoting official sources, the report said that the issue was raised by Narendra Modi during his trip to Bhutan as Prime Minister—“
“The PTI report said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had been requested by political representatives from Arunachal Pradesh to convince Bhutan about the benefits it will bring to the economy of that country besides curtailing travel time between strategically important Tawang and Guwahati”.
Clearly, what is emerging is that our roads, like our hydro-power projects, have the potential to bring about our eventual doom. There is something terribly amiss - at the manner and the haste with which we are going about our road widening initiatives.
“Construction of 68.3 Kms. Nganglam-Dewathang highway: deferred indefinitely”.
“The 98Kms. Lhamoizingkha-Sarbang highway aborted”.
“Project Dantak will execute the 52km widening from Trashigang-Yadi”.
“The 546km Thimphu-Trashigang road widening work begins next month”.
“Chazam-Duksum road widening work well on track”.
“Shingkhar-Gorgan road makes it to the 11th Plan”.
“India seems not to have lost its hope of building a road through Bhutan to have an easier access to Tawang, near the Sino-Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh, from the plains of Assam. Bhutan is not willing to allow the construction of the road because of objections from China”.
“Quoting official sources, the report said that the issue was raised by Narendra Modi during his trip to Bhutan as Prime Minister—“
“The PTI report said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had been requested by political representatives from Arunachal Pradesh to convince Bhutan about the benefits it will bring to the economy of that country besides curtailing travel time between strategically important Tawang and Guwahati”.
Clearly, what is emerging is that our roads, like our hydro-power projects, have the potential to bring about our eventual doom. There is something terribly amiss - at the manner and the haste with which we are going about our road widening initiatives.
........ to be continued
Doom is we depend too much on India who doesn't allow Bhutan to be anybody's friend. We are less self reliant but more dependent now because our debt is shooting through the roof to one country, India. India on the other hand is making us more and more dependent on them so they can control us. Our fourth king won freedom in foreign relations but under the this government we cannot even built Japanese embassy because Indian disapproves. India will ask us when to shit and when to eat. Our PM is acting like Chief Minister of India. Even to go abroad, he asks Indian permission. Indians are Indians but Bhutanese needs to wake up. There is nothing to be scared of. We should make friends with China. China helps develop its neighboring country much more than India. We do not have to turn our back on China. we can be neutral. The only way to resolve our northern border is by being friends. Being friend with China need not mean enemy with India. India cannot keep Bhutan under their control forever. They should know.
ReplyDeleteWould be careful about being friends with China. Look at its track record. China can be a far more rapacious partner then India.
Deletethe infamous article 4 or 7 of the 1949 treaty seems to be still valid??? how sad
ReplyDeleteLiving example PHPC 1. wonder how many more PHPCs are in the making. It is a tragedy we are becoming an experimental lab for the outside powers. When i think of the series of things going wrong i wake up in the middle of the night perspiring and wondering what future holds for my small kids
ReplyDeleteOne reader posted a very strongly worded comment against the government - my apology to the reader - but I am not posting it. I think it is important to keep the debate clean and objective.
ReplyDeletewhat some people don't seem to realise is that its not a question of which party has gone wrong or which party is doing right. There or more serious issues at stake whcih if not carefully tackled at an early stage kicking aside party lines, cast, creed rich, poor or ethnic background the nation is going to suffer beyond imagination. Some of the people bullshiiing in the facebook and getting involved in irresponsible mudslinging exercise makes me sick. The people or nations who may be enjoying at our plight my be having good laugh at us. Come on people wake upi now.
ReplyDelete