Press Release on the Signing of the exchange of note and grant agreement for the project “Reconstruction of Bridges – Phase III”

H.E. V. Namgyel, Ambassador of Bhutan to India signed the Exchange of Notes for the Project “Reconstruction of Bridges – Phase III” with H.E. Hideaki Domichi, Ambassador of Japan to Bhutan and the Grant Agreement for the Project “Reconstruction of Bridges – Phase III”  with Mr. Hidetoshi Irigaki, Chief Representative of JICA in India on June 19, 2009.

Under the project, the Government of Japan will be providing a total assistance of JPY 2.494 billion (approximately Nu. 1.222 billion) to construct six bridges and the project will conclude by December 2014.

Speaking at the signing ceremony held at the Royal Bhutanese Embassy in New Delhi Ambassador V. Namgyel said that bridges in Bhutan are priority means to many economic opportunities and for a landlocked and mountainous country like Bhutan, surface transport is the lifeline of the nation’s socio-economic activity. Therefore, providing inter-connectivity between valleys and Dzongkhags is of paramount national importance.

The construction of these bridges will benefit the Punatsangchu Hydropower Project as the old bridges on Wangdue-Tsirang highway will be replaced with bigger and stronger ones, which in turn will facilitate easier movement of heavy machineries and vehicles.

Ambassador V. Namgyel said that the project will be yet another testimony of the longstanding and excellent friendship between the two countries and conveyed the deep appreciation of the government and people of Bhutan to the government and people of Japan for their generous assistance.

Royal Bhutanese Embassy
New Delhi

June 19, 2009