Jaigaon, April 21: Tourism and business are suffering because of the deplorable condition of the Link Road, through which one can reach Thimpu via Phuentsholing.

The public works department (PWD), the Jaigaon Development Board and the Jaigaon panchayat are at war with each other over the maintenance of the road.

The road, which acts as the main route to Bhutan, is used by thousands of tourists and government officials to go to Thimpu. But the stretch has become accident-prone due to potholes on the road.

Even after light showers, pedestrians have to wade through knee-deep muddy water. To make matters worse, shop owners often dump garbage on the roadside.

“Business has been hampered because of these reasons. We had lodged several complaints with the Jaigaon panchayat pradhan and Jaigaon Development Board but no action had been initiated. The road needs an immediate and thorough repair,” said Ashok Gupta, the owner of an electrical goods shop of the area.

Panchayat pradhan Narendra Kumar Maji said the upkeep of the road was not within the purview of the panchayat but was the responsibility of the PWD.

“I have taken up the issue with them,” Maji said.

PWD engineer-in-charge R.N. Subba admitted that no plan for renovation of the road had been formulated the past six months.