It took Karma Chimi, a shopkeeper in Trongsa, almost eight months to find a shop space in the town. Finding a house is becoming difficult as the town’s housing crunch grows.
The town’s increasing population as a result of the ongoing two hydropower projects and coming up of new offices are being blamed for the shortage.
“I think it’s because of the increase in the number of people after the start of the two hydropower projects in the dzongkhag,” Karma Chimi said.
The inadequate housing has caused the rents to soar.
“The rents are as high as in Thimphu,” Karma Chimi added.
Ugyen Tashi, a Tashi Bank employee, who got transferred to the dzongkhag recently said if it wasn’t for his family, friends and relatives who helped me, it would have been difficult to find a house.
“With their help, I finally got one, but it’s far away from my office,” he said.
The expansion of the town and completion of the hydropower projects are expected to ease the crunch.
“The housing shortage began a few a years ago and it’s because of the hydropower projects. We came up with the town expansion plan to solve the problem,” Pema Zangmo, a Municipal Engineer, said.
A single room house costs up to Nu 4000 a month.
