The Rishugma village has access to tap water. [Photo by Yan Dongjie/chinadaily.com.cn]

Sangduo, the village head of Hornasha township, recalled that before the road was built, the village roads were filled with potholes, making roads extremely bumpy and unsafe, and significantly prolonging travel time. During the rainy season, the roads were severely waterlogged and muddy, while in winter, they became icy and nearly impassable.

"Put it in our own words from back then," Sangduo said, "'on sunny days, we're covered in dust; on rainy days, we're caked in mud'."

He added that the poor roadways had hindered the transportation of specialty agricultural products such as black highland barley, severely restricting economic development.