Road Condition and Major Highway in Bhutan

Road network is widely used to transport people and freight from one place to another. Until 1960, traveling across Bhutan was a strenuous task, because of its mountainous geography and lack of proper roads people traversing through Bhutan would have to walk for days with mule carrying the provisions. Only after 1960, with The First Development Plan, development of road infrastructure was started. 175km paved road connecting its western border on Phuentsholing to Thimpu was constructed under The First Development Plan. Later this highway was connected to Paro, where the country’s only international airport was constructed. Bhutan as of 2023 has 18000 kilometers of road of which 61% are farm roads, 15% are national highways and about 11% are dzongkhag or district roads.

Road Networks In Bhutan

Main road network or highway in Bhutan, is East-West highway, it acts as a stem off of which other branches emerges connecting major cities tucked inside the valley of Bhutan. The East-west highway, the most significant highway extends from the western border to India at Phuentsholing to the eastern border of Bhutan at Trashigang. From this east west highway many branches emerge leading to cities like Thimphu, Punakha and Paro.

The road construction in mountainous country such as Bhutan is a challenge in itself. The roads are carved in the hilly region which resembles a thread in screw. The roads are often narrow mostly being one lane except for the national highway, and its common to see some patches of road being unpaved. The driving speed inside Bhutan is usually low, 50 km/hr and less is the safest cruising speed on the single lane road constructed in mountainous terrain. But, the nature has so much to offer that you intentionally wouldn’t want to speed up, rather slow down and enjoy the scenery while traveling through the Bhutanese roads. Farm roads are most of the times unpaved and graveled roads, whose intention is to help farmers in agricultural activities by connecting the farmlands with road networks.

Many roads widening and extension project are currently undergoing in Bhutan with the help of donors such as Asian Development Bank, World Bank etc. As these projects approaches its goals, the better road network and elevated traveling experience by road is imminent.