Bhutanese local leaders raise concern over ageing, unsafe utility vehicles in villages

Local leaders warn that worn-out gewog vehicles are delaying essential services and risking lives. Many have become so unsafe communities now depend on taxis and private cars instead.

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File photo provided by Kuensel.

October 16, 2025

THIMPHU – Local leaders across the country are raising concerns over the deteriorating condition of gewog utility vehicles (boleros), stating rising maintenance costs and growing safety risks.

The vehicles, distributed nearly a decade ago to enhance public service delivery, are ageing and frequently breaking down.

However, the government pledged during the 2023 parliamentary elections to provide every gewog with a functional utility vehicle and adequate funding for its operation.

Leaders from many dzongkhags reported that maintenance costs are becoming unmanageable. Local leaders say the vehicles are used for multiple purposes, including inter-departmental sharing, transporting goods, community assistance, and emergencies, which causes them to wear out faster.

Mongar’s Tshogdu Thrizin, Karma Sonam Wangchuk, said that most utility vehicles in the dzongkhag are almost ten years old and require constant repairs.

“Most of them ply on rough roads, including gewog centres and feeder roads, which accelerates wear and tear,” he said.

Karma Sonam Wangchuk added that gewogs used to allocate about Nu 40,000 to Nu 50,000 annually for maintenance from their controllable budget, but that amount is no longer sufficient.

The financial strain is widespread. In Samtse, Dzongkhag Tshogdu Thrizin Nima Drukpa said that while most vehicles are still operational, they require frequent repairs.

“The budget allocated is often insufficient, sometimes local leaders end up paying from their own pockets,” he said. His gewog has allocated Nu 120,000 for fuel and maintenance this year, but with rising costs of spare parts and fuel, he doubts it will be not enough.

Barshong Gup Santalal Powdrel from Tsirang said that frequent breakdowns were a major problem. “Each repair costs around Nu 8,000 to Nu 9,000. If it’s a major repair, the cost goes up to Nu 40,000 or Nu 50,000.”

Compounding the financial issue are serious safety concerns. Tsenkhar Gup Tashi Penjor from Lhuentse Dzongkhag said his gewog has 160 kilometres of farm roads, requiring frequent use of the utility vehicle. “The vehicle has immensely benefited the public, but it has now become old and poses a risk to life,” he said. The gewog allocates Nu 70,000 to Nu 80,000 annually, which he described as inadequate.

Other leaders echoed this sentiment. “These vehicles are getting risky to use,” a gup said. “If the government can provide replacements, it would help us improve public service delivery.

Despite the challenges, local leaders emphasised the vehicles’ critical role.

Dakarla Gup Gado from Thimphu recalled that before the utility vehicles were introduced, gewogs relied on private cars and taxis, which delayed public service. “The utility vehicle has greatly improved our work, but now it is old and expensive to maintain,” he said. “Replacing it with a new one would make a big difference.”

Except for Naro Gewog, where the vehicle was surrendered after an accident, all seven utility vehicles in Thimphu are still in use.

In addition, Trongsa Tshogdu Thrizin Gembo Drukpa added that many vehicles are being overused, especially on rough roads, leading to faster wear and higher fuel consumption.

Local leaders explained that when budgets fall short, they sometimes divert funds from other activities, such as hospitality and entertainment.

In the past, some gups reportedly used utility vehicles as personal duty cars, but this practice has reduced significantly.

Currently, most vehicles are used strictly for official purposes like site inspections, transporting goods, and responding to emergencies.

“The awareness around accountability and the responsible use of public resources has improved,” a gewog official said.

Kuensel sought updated figures on how many of the 205 gewog utility vehicles are operational, but no specific data was available. This absence of reliable information makes it difficult to assess the overall condition of the nationwide fleet.

The gewog utility vehicle initiative was launched in 2016, with one vehicle handed over to each of the 205 gewogs on January 15, 2017.

According to the finance ministry, the initiative aimed to empower local governments, improve mobility, and enhance service delivery at the grassroots level.

An official from the ministry said that the vehicles were meant for strictly official purposes, including tours and field visits, transportation of official goods, disaster response, and delivery of agricultural produce to farm shops at government mileage rates.

“Vehicles are not to be used as dedicated duty vehicles by local leaders or for private use,” an official from the ministry said.

Under the guidelines, the gewog administrative officer serves as the motor transport officer, and all vehicle movement must be authorised through signed movement orders.

Gewogs must maintain proper documentation, including fuel books, movement registers, logbooks, and vehicle history books, with vehicles parked within the gewog office premises when not in use.

The ministry stated that each gewog initially received Nu 60,000 annually to cover fuel, insurance, and basic maintenance. For the current fiscal year, that amount has been increased by 10 percent.

“This is expected to ease some financial pressure,” the official said, “but the adequacy depends on the extent of use and condition of each vehicle.”

Officials also reported there have been instances of vehicle misuse.

Regarding replacement, the ministry clarified there is no blanket plan. “Replacement is assessed case-by-case, if a vehicle is no longer functional and the gewog can prioritise it in their annual capital block grant, it may be approved,” the official said, stating that there is no fixed timeline.

While no national review of rising maintenance costs has been undertaken, the ministry assesses replacement requests based on the viability of continued repairs.

Officials also reported that overall fuel and maintenance costs have decreased by nearly 24 percent over the past two years. “This shows that costs are being better managed,” the official said. “We hope local leaders continue to demonstrate fiscal prudence and accountability.”

Despite the challenges, officials said that the gewog utility vehicles remain critical tools for decentralisation, helping local governments reach remote chiwogs, monitor infrastructure, and respond to emergencies.

According to the ministry the vehicles are for public benefit and must be managed transparently and responsibly, in line with the 2016 guidelines.

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