August 15: The Works and Human Settlement Minister Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba said that the government is taking all possible means to ensure the well being and safety of the people and travelers on the Thimphu-Phuentsholing highway.

Saying that the government is aware of the frequent accidents along the highway, Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba said the government is working to ensure that such mishaps do not occur in the future.

Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba said the government is very concerned and sad for the people who lost their lives.

He added that the he had visited the site on Tuesday along with the Director General of the Department of Roads and the Chief Engineer of Project DANTAK.

Lyonpo Zimba said the government had requested the relatives of the victims of the recent accident to withhold efforts to retrieve the bodies of the victims till the conditions at the site becomes safe.

He said DANTAK, the Dzongkhag authority and the Department of Roads will render all possible assistance in retrieving the bodies once conditions become safe.

Motorists to be more careful on the highway

Although traffic on the Thimphu-Phuentsholing highway has been opened to traffic, Road Safety and Traffic officials are cautioning motorists to be extra careful.

Hundred of motorists were on movement as the Thimphu-Phuentsholing highway as opened to traffic yesterday morning.

Road Safety and Transport Authority and Traffic officials are however advising motorists to be extra cautious.

According to traffic reports, it has recorded about 117 accidents on the highway beginning January this year.

Going by the records maintained by the traffic officials and RSTA, more than 90% of the accidents were caused due to weather conditions such as poor visibility, loose soils and landslides. Some of the accidents were also caused due to careless driving and negligence.

Accidents recorded from January till date has claimed about 33 lives along the highway. Another 12 Indian labourers who were also killed along the highway due to falling boulders this season.

RSTA and traffic officials are cautioning the general public to be extra careful while on the road and say unnecessary traveling should be avoided. Officials said traveling at night should also be avoided.

Meanwhile, DANTAK workers are still in the process of clearing shooting boulders and landslides which are formed almost every night due to rainy weather conditions.