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Tingtibi town development fails to take off |
September 20: Residents in Tingtibi in Zhemgang are asking for their land back after the town development failed to take off.
They say they don’t see the possibility of Tingtibi developing into a thriving town and that they should be allowed to buy back the land.
About 20 years ago when the area was identified as having potential for developing into a town, it looked no different. Plans have been drawn and investments were made. The land was acquired from the local people who willingly sold them in hope of seeing their village develop into a thriving commercial centre.
But 20 years down the line, the plan has remained on papers alone. The roads which have been built here remain overgrown by grass and bush.
The government has already invested about Nu. 18 million.
The town has around 90 plots for building shops and other commercial establishments. But so far only seven houses have been built in the area.
Pem Gyetshe a local resident said the town would have developed if the Dzongkhag administration has been relocated in Tingtibi as proposed. He said with no scope of Tingtibi developing into a town, they should be allowed to buy back their land so that they can cultivate and make a living.
The municipal engineer, Budhiman Pradhan says they are looking at the possibility of promoting small and medium scale industries. The municipality also wants the people to construct more buildings to make optimum use of the infrastructure that has been put in place.
But residents say with no occupants, the houses will remain empty and they won’t even be able to pay off their loan.
The Zhemgang Dzongda Kuenzang N Tshering said relocating the Dzongkhag administration to Tingtibi is not feasible. It would be expensive, the space is inadequate, and Tingtibi is also not centrally located. |
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