Himalayan Times (1962)

February 18, 1962

Himalayan Times

Three

DOOR TO FORBIDDEN KINGDOM OPENED

Road Link Between India & Bhutan

Calcutta, February IS

On Tuesday the final
lection of the bridge over
the turbulent Raidak river
in Bhutan was lifted into
position and a truck oros-
led over. And io Bhutan's
first motorable road link-
ing Phuntsholing on the
Indian (West Bengal) bor-
der and Paro, Bhutan'*
old winter oapital at
7,200 ft., til completed.
More lignifibant. Bhutan'*
oenturies-oici ieolation from
the outiide world wa*
finally ended.

Work on the 107
mile road began in January,
1960. Acoording to Mr.
0. P. Mathur, Chief Engi-
neer, Bhutan Engineering
Services, the record speed
with which the road hat
been constructed ii due
largely to the splendid
diseipiine of the Bhutaneae
labour foroe, and the
inspiration given by the
Maharajah of Bhutan and
the Prime Minister, Mr.
Jigmie, Dorji.

Mr. Mathur, who was
awarded the Padma Shree
for bis work on the high
Nnthu-la road in Sikkirn,
said that 22 miles of the
new Paro road is threaten-
ed by the rampaging of
wild elephants, bears, rep-
tiles and leeches hare

been a menaoe. In one
difficult seotlon the road
is out across a 3 000-ft
preoipioe (it* maximum
height above sea level is
8,580 ft). And every mon-
soon has brought, work
on the road to a stand-
still since the southern
foothills of Bhutan expe-
rience a yearly deluge of
an average 200m. of rain.

Altogether a total 800
miles of new highway is
being built in Bhutan. A
gigantio labour force of
24,000 men and women
working in rotation and
recruited under a new
law making work on the
national highway* com-
pulsory on all but the
Royal family, will com-
plete the ambitious plan
by 1966. Eventually four
motorable roads wilt link
the interior of Bhutan
with India.

''It's a great strain,"
the Prime Minister, Mr.
Dorji, said. He pointed
out that the population
of Bhutan is small (an
estimated 700.000) and
besides labour for the
road, several thousand
able bodied men are re-
quired immediately for
the new Bhutaneae army,
to be trained by Indian

Army offioer*. .

The new road does not
mean that Bhutan's olosed
frontiers are now wide
open to foreigners. The
Bhutaneee Government is
acutely aware that a too
sudden impact with the
outside world might be
disastrous for the country.
Looking along the Hima-
layas to a much larger
neighbour - now suffering
from the ills of political
immaturity and a bewilder-
ing surfeit of foreign aid,
Bhutan has good reason to
be cautions.-Contributed.

WANTED

Applications are invi-
ted for the post Of a teacher
in Burmiak I'rimary
School, of Govt. Cinchona
Plantation,' Munsong.
Qualifications Required

1. The oandidate must
preferably be a matricu-
late.

2. If non matrioulate,
the candidate should be
either Basic trained, G.T.,
or C.T. passed.

3. Free accommoda-
tion will be provided.

4. Total emoluments
including all allowances
will be Rs. 70.60 nP only.

Applications along
with true oopies of certi-
ficates should reach the
undersigned on or before
the 2Sth February, 1962

Manager,
Govt. CinohoDa Plantation,
Munsong,
Kalimpong P. O.