Bhutan Raises Monsoon Road Restoration Budget to Nu 350 Million as Hazards Test Transport Network

More funding for roads exposed to rain and landslides

Bhutan has raised its annual monsoon road restoration budget to Nu 350 million for the 2024–2025 fiscal year, up from Nu 187 million annually between 2020–2021 and 2023–2024. The increase supports a response built around machinery stationed at vulnerable locations, engineers on continuous alert and faster information for travellers.

As of June 13, 2025, the task covers a large and exposed transport network. The Department of Surface Transport (DoST), under the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MoIT), maintains more than 4,650 kilometres of roads and 366 bridges. Its responsibilities include primary and secondary national highways and dzongkhag, or district, roads.

Monsoon rains from July to September bring landslides, flash floods, falling rocks and debris flows. Southern Bhutan is especially vulnerable because of its geological conditions. When earth, water and rocks reach a road, they can interrupt travel and commerce while putting people at risk.

Bhutan relies on these routes to keep communities and economic activity connected. Clearing a blockage is therefore both a safety operation and a way to restore the movement of people and goods. Remote locations can make that work slower, even when machinery and money are available.

More intense rainfall and increasingly unpredictable weather are adding pressure to the system. The government is responding with immediate clearance arrangements and measures intended to make roads and bridges more resilient over time.

Machines and engineers prepare before the rains

DoST begins preparing before the monsoon arrives. Wheel excavators and payloaders are stationed at critical locations where roads repeatedly suffer damage from the weather. Their purpose is to remove landslide material and other obstructions quickly, reducing the time traffic is stopped.

Field engineers remain on alert around the clock during both monsoon and snowfall seasons. They also maintain contact with nearby machine owners so that additional equipment can be called in when an emergency occurs.

Namgyal Dorji, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Employment, described the preparations and the role of engineers in the government's response:

Since most road emergencies are unexpected, we have stationed machines at all critical sites where road stretches are prone to repeated weather-related impacts. Our field engineers remain on alert around the clock during monsoon and snowfall seasons. They also maintain contact with nearby machine owners to respond promptly to any emergencies that may arise.

The arrangement combines equipment already near vulnerable stretches with access to machines owned locally. Positioning machinery in advance helps crews begin clearance sooner, while local contacts provide another option when the scale or location of a blockage requires extra support.

How a roadblock becomes an emergency operation

Regional Offices connect the response in affected areas with DoST's central office in Thimphu. They help detect disruptions, organise the initial response and coordinate the resources needed to reopen roads.

Information about a roadblock can come from field patrols, local subdivisions, police or local governments. Once the blockage is verified, officials assess the damage and deploy the necessary machinery.

A blockage in a remote area can take longer to reach. Equipment must first get to the site before clearance can begin, making access an important part of the response. The system is designed to move resources quickly, but difficult logistics can still delay operations.

Regional Offices can hire private machinery during emergencies using annual emergency funds. According to MoIT, no funding shortfalls have been reported. Local authority to arrange equipment gives offices a practical way to respond when their own resources need support.

What the larger restoration budget pays for

The increase from Nu 187 million to Nu 350 million adds Nu 163 million to the annual monsoon restoration allocation. That is an increase of about 87 percent, bringing the budget close to twice its previous level.

Funding supports immediate emergency work as well as measures intended to reduce future damage. The government is exploring new technologies to stabilise areas prone to landslides and is seeking technical and financial assistance from external partners.

Geotechnical and structural engineers inspect affected roads and bridges after the monsoon. Geotechnical work examines the ground and slopes supporting infrastructure, while structural work examines the condition of structures such as bridges. Their inspections guide recommendations for repairs and measures to reduce hazards.

Officials prioritise those recommendations according to urgency. Implementation is closely supervised, and digital documentation is used to support quality checks and accountability. This gives the restoration programme a second stage after the immediate effort to reopen roads.

DoST is also reviewing how it pays for machinery. Equipment kept on standby incurs idle charges, meaning a cost is paid for its availability even while it is waiting. Hiring machinery only when needed changes that spending arrangement, but the ministry must also consider how quickly equipment can reach an emergency.

The review centres on balancing prudent spending with a rapid response. More unpredictable weather makes that decision harder: the department needs readiness at vulnerable locations while managing the cost of machines that may spend time unused.

Roadblock figures show a decline

DoST's account of roadblocks over the past five fiscal years describes a general decline. The figures listed for recent years and the period up to early June 2025 show fewer recorded incidents:

• 2021–2022: 649 roadblocks, including 147 major and 502 minor blockages.
• 2022–2023: 480 roadblocks.
• 2023–2024: 343 roadblocks, including 56 major and 287 minor blockages.
• As of early June 2025: 282 roadblocks, including 39 major and 243 minor blockages.

Between 2021–2022 and 2023–2024, the recorded total fell by 306, or about 47 percent. Major blockages fell from 147 to 56 over the same period, while minor blockages declined from 502 to 287.

The 282 incidents counted by early June 2025 were an interim total. The July to September monsoon season still lay ahead, making the date attached to that figure essential to understanding it.

DoST classifies roadblocks taking more than an hour to clear as major. Minor blockages are those resolved within 30 to 60 minutes. These categories describe the time needed to restore access, giving readers a practical measure of the disruption.

Most incidents in the years with a published breakdown were in the minor category. The ability to clear many obstructions relatively quickly reflects the purpose of advance machinery placement and rapid response procedures: keeping a blocked route from remaining closed for longer than necessary.

Travellers receive updates through RoadWatch

The Bhutan RoadWatch mobile app provides information on road conditions and blockages in real time. Travellers can use those updates to plan journeys around disruptions and changing hazards.

DoST also publishes detailed roadblock information and clearance status on its official Facebook page twice daily, at 8:30 AM and 6:30 PM. Annual summaries provide a longer record of disruptions and the response.

These communication channels serve different needs. The app provides updates as conditions change, while the scheduled posts give the public regular points at which to check roadblock and clearance information.

Public information forms part of the safety response alongside machinery and engineering. A road can become dangerous suddenly during heavy rain, and timely notices help drivers make decisions with a more current picture of conditions. Officials also encourage caution and compliance with guidance during the monsoon.

Driver safety remains a separate priority

The Bhutan Construction and Transport Authority (BCTA) is addressing driving behaviour alongside the work to protect roads. Between January 2024 and May 27, 2025, it conducted 17 road safety campaigns reaching more than 5,000 people.

The campaigns focused on drunk driving, speeding and distracted driving, particularly the use of mobile devices behind the wheel. These behaviours create risks throughout the year and remain concerns when monsoon conditions make travel more hazardous.

During the same period, 629 passenger bus drivers and conductors were certified in safety protocols. The programme extended safety training to the people responsible for operating public transport and assisting its passengers.

May 2025 accident figures show the scale of the continuing challenge. Across Bhutan's 20 dzongkhags, 123 motor vehicle accidents were recorded, leaving six people dead and 74 injured. Thimphu had the highest number of incidents, followed by Sarpang and Mongar.

Drunk driving was the leading recorded cause, accounting for 28 accidents that month. Other contributing factors included failure to maintain control of a vehicle, tailgating and unsafe overtaking.

Only a handful of accidents were directly linked to weather causes such as landslides or heavy rain. Monsoon hazards nevertheless add to the risks drivers face. Road clearance, responsible driving and passenger transport safety address different parts of the same task of keeping journeys safe.

Climate pressure requires repairs and prevention

Climate change is increasing the intensity of rainfall and the frequency of extreme weather events, testing Bhutan's road management arrangements. More intense and frequent rain can cause greater damage to infrastructure and make the location and timing of hazards less predictable.

Bhutan's response therefore extends beyond clearing material from a road. Immediate operations restore access, while inspections, slope stabilisation and repairs seek to reduce the damage caused by later rainfall.

DoST officials have stressed the need for continued innovation and adaptation as climate risks evolve. Expert warnings also point to the need for sustained investment in preventive work and emergency response, alongside stronger early warning systems, wider public education and regional cooperation for technical and financial support.

Southern Bhutan's geological vulnerability and the difficulty of reaching remote sites remain practical challenges. The larger budget, equipment arrangements and communication systems give the authorities more ways to respond, while continued engineering work addresses the roads and bridges themselves.

As of June 13, 2025, Bhutan's approach brings together three connected responsibilities: reopening blocked routes quickly, strengthening infrastructure before future damage and helping people travel more safely. Falling roadblock totals offer an encouraging measure of progress, while the approaching monsoon will place fresh demands on crews across the network.

Key Points

• Bhutan raised its monsoon restoration budget to Nu 350 million for 2024–2025, from Nu 187 million annually during 2020–2021 to 2023–2024.
• DoST maintains more than 4,650 kilometres of roads and 366 bridges, with southern areas especially vulnerable to monsoon hazards.
• Machinery is stationed at critical locations, engineers remain on continuous alert, and Regional Offices can hire private equipment for emergencies.
• Recorded roadblocks fell from 649 in 2021–2022 to 343 in 2023–2024. The total by early June 2025 was 282.
• RoadWatch provides current road information, and DoST publishes Facebook updates at 8:30 AM and 6:30 PM.
• BCTA conducted 17 safety campaigns reaching more than 5,000 people and certified 629 passenger bus drivers and conductors between January 2024 and May 27, 2025.
• May 2025 brought 123 motor vehicle accidents, six deaths and 74 injuries. Drunk driving accounted for 28 accidents.
• More intense rainfall is increasing pressure on emergency operations, infrastructure repairs and prevention measures.