CURRENT STATUS OF ROAD TRANSPORT POLICIES, SYSTEMS AND PROJECTS IN

Jangchuk Yeshi Chief Engineer (Design Division) Department of Roads Ministry of Works & Human Settlement Royal Government of Bhutan Brief background of road

 Being a landlocked mountainous country, road is the primary mode of transport in Bhutan and therefore the life line of country’s economy.

 Royal Government has accorded top priority to the development of the road network in the country since the start of the 1st Five Year Plan in 1961.

 The country’s first mororable road , – Phuentsholing Highway, was completed in 1961.

Expansion of road network over the years

10578 km today

~2300 km in late 1980s

~1500 km in mid 1970s Classifications of roads

 National Highways;

 International/Asian Highways

 Primary National Highways (PNH) DoR’s jurisdiction  Secondary National Highways (SNH)

 Dzongkhag Roads;

 (Urban) Roads – Respective Municipalities

 Farm Roads – MoA and Dzongkhags

 Access Roads – Beneficiaries/DoR

Motorization level and trend

Motorization trend in the past decade The motorization level in the 80000 • country has been increasing 70000 rapidly 60000 50000 • In the past decade, the vehicle 40000 ownership has increased by 30000 137% - from 29,941 in 2005 to

Vehicle Ownership 20000 70,805 as of Feb. 2015.

10000 0 • The vehicle per 1000 population 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 in the country has increased from Year Source: RSTA) about 45 in 2005 to about 100 in 2014

Motorization level – comparison with other countries in the region

Source: Word bank development indicators (Internet)

• Bhutan has the highest vehicle ownership per 1000 population among the SARRC countries • The vehicle ownership in Asia is typically in the range of 10 to 30 per 1000 population and between 600 and 800 in advanced countries

Projected motorization trend

Source: Bhutan Transport 2040, ADB • As per “Bhutan Transport 2040” document developed by ADB, the motorization per 1000 population is expected touch 400 by 2040.

Current status of road network in the country

Expansion of road network over the years 12000 • The increase has been more rapid in the last about five to six years. 10000 The road length has increased 8000 • from 5362 km in 2008 to 10,578 6000 km by end of 2013, which is an average annual increase of about 4000 19% over this period (about 870 Road Length in km km of new road per year). 2000

0 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 Year (Source: Department of Roads)

Current road network in the country

Road length by category/class

Road Category Road Length (km) Expressway 6.2 National Highway 2438.38 Dzongkhag Road 1178.29 Thromde Road 349.67 Farm Road 5375.29 Access Road 1230.43 Total: 10578.26 Current Status of the Vision Statements, Policy Instruments and Strategies for development of Road Transport in the Country. Road Transport Policies - Background

 Vital for providing overall guidance in planning and implementation of the programs and projects for sustainable and integrated development of road transport in the country.

 Have to be aligned with the overall development policy of the country and the wishes and aspirations of the population

 Have to based on the scientific studies such as the motorization trends, projected economic growth, environmental considerations, regional connectivity, rural-urban migration trends and so on. Vision 2020 milestones

Vision statement Milestones Current Status

Construction of To be completed • The proposed Highway will connect Sipsoo Second by 2017 (end of in the west with Jomotsangkha in the east of Transnational 11th plan) the country. highway (Southern • Total Length: 642 km (approx) E-W Highway) • Completed: 361 km (56%) • Remaining: 281 km (Lhamoizingkha– Sarpang, –Panbang, Nganglam– Deothang, Samrang-Jomotsangkha)

Upgrade current To be achieved by • All the PNHs newly constructed/upgraded or national trunk 2009 (end of 9th being constructed/upgraded are designed roads to carry 30- plan) for at least 30-ton loading. ton capacity trucks. Road Sector Master Plan (2007-2027)

Activity Milestones Current Status

• Shingkhar (Zhemgang) – • Shingkhar (Bumthang) Thidangbi (): 162 km - Gorgan (): 12 • Shingkhar (Bumthang) – km out of total Gorgan (Lhuntse): 76 km approximate 76 km 1. Construction of • Shingkhar (Zhemgang) - Ura completed and the Highways for (Bumthang): 49 km works on rest are yet Inter-Dzongkhag • Daga Dzong – Genekha: 123 to start.  connectivity km • Minjay (Lhuntse) – Dongde Dzong (Trashiyangtse): 127 km       Road Sector Master Plan (2007-2027) contd.

Activity Milestones Current Status 2. Major road • Serpang – Sengor: 6 km (road length • Serpang – Sengor: Not realignments reduction (rdl) = 12 km) started • Reffe-Khosala: 16 km (rdl = 12 km) • Reffe - Khosala: 13 km • Damchu – Chhukha: 24 km (rdl = 19 completed km) • Damchu – Chhukha: 15 km • Wangdigang – Tingtibi: 16 km (rdl = completed. 39 km) • Wangdigang – Tingtibi: 16 km completed Total Length of road realignment = 62 km Total Length completed = 44 km (71% complete)  3. Construction of • Possibility for construction of tunnels • Feasibility studies are being road tunnels identified at ten road stretches in the carried out by Department of entire road network of the country. Geology and Mines (DGM) for  a road tunnel between Thimphu and Wangdue with the help of a Norwegian Government agency.  Bhutan Transport 2040 – Integrated Strategic Vision (ADB)

Activity Current Status • Double laning of Northern East-West Highway ongoing – 60 km out of total 385 km complete (16% complete). 1. Widening of the existing East– Work planned to be completed by 2017 West Highway (and other key end) routes) to two lanes, with alignment improvements to • Thimphu – Highway: reduce travel times and enhance 100% complete safety  • Samdrup-Jongkhar – Highway: 108 km out of total 180 km complete (60% complete) Bhutan Transport 2040 contd….

Activity Current Status

• Thicker road pavement being used to enhance durability and riding comfort 2. Introduction of improved and reduce life cycle cost engineering and construction • Manual road construction methods technology to reduce overall life being replaced by semi or fully cycle costs and provide better mechanized methods pavement quality • Traditional road construction method replaced by more sustainable EFRC method Bhutan Transport 2040 contd….

Activity Current Status

• Performance Based Maintenance Management System (PBMMS) being implemented for routine maintenance works for roads. 3. Establishment of a maintenance • Hybrid Maintenance being piloted in three regimen for all national highways and Regional Offices under DoR covering about district roads to include pavement 300 km. management systems and performance • Road Asset Management – Yet to develop a contracts proper scientific system. Technical and financial assistance being sought from World Bank for development of the system.  Bhutan Transport 2040 contd….

Activity Current Status

• The black topping of the feeder roads connecting to Geog centers, called the GC roads is ongoing. Total length of GC road: 1900 km 4. Progressive upgrading of all • (approx.) Dzongkhag roads to all-weather  Total length of GC roads for which the (sealed) standards to be prioritized • black topping works are either ongoing based on traffic demand or are at various stages of tendering: 1200 km (planned to be completed by fall of 2017)  Conclusion

 Road sector continues to be one of the most important thrust areas of government’s development efforts and therefore enjoys maximum share of the country’s development spending.

 For activities such as the bitumen sealing of the Dzongkhag roads and major highway realignment works, the objectives are expected to be achieved ahead of the planned schedule.

 However, priorities have changed for some activities such as the construction of road tunnels, viaducts and construction of certain road stretches on the southern- East-West Highway due to changing priorities of the country with time.

 But overall, most of the major activities in the road transport sector are on track as envisioned in the relevant policy documents.

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