Business at Gola town in Tashichhoeling gewog of Samtse has been sluggish for a few years now. Courtesy of township development, new concrete buildings are now changing the landscape of Gola town. But this is at the expense of business growth. The number of customers is at an all-time low and business people attribute this to decreasing cardamom production and offices moving out of Gola town.
Gola town has lost its customer base amidst transformation. What was once one of the bustling towns in the country is now struggling to stay in business.
Plot owners are chasing the deadline to construct their buildings. Four years ago, 52 plot owners got the green signal to construct two-storey buildings. Recently, the deadline to finish construction works was deferred until 2021.
Kala Gurung who has been doing business in Gola town since 1988, says when the town was the business centre in west Samtse, every shopkeeper used to make huge income.
“Business was going well. When cardamom and oranges were selling well, our business was also booming. Suddenly, cardamom production reduced so did its price. Our business also came down with it. It crashed so drastically that we didn’t even dream this would happen. Now, it is really hard to sell anything,” she said.
Like Kala Gurung, many others are struggling to meet monthly rent in the new buildings.
“There are no people. Now, Indians can’t come in for shopping. Only Bhutanese can come to the market which has been shifted to Belboteng from Gola. During the off-season, villagers do come for about two months and then there is no customer again after that,” said Madhu Maya.
Most business owners in Gola town say with developmental activities, more people should come to the town. But to their dismay, it has turned out to be the opposite.
“I think it’s partly because banks and offices moved out of Gola town. It is also because of the decreased income of the villagers. In the past, people used to make good money with cardamom. One by one, buildings are getting completed but there is no increase in customer number,” said Kuldeep Jang Gurung
Gola town is at the centre of five gewogs but with developmental activities happening in other gewogs as well, people here can only remain optimistic.
Some businesses have closed shop and moved on to a new location away from Gola town. People’s hopes are now pinned on the town development completing in time and government and other offices returning to the town premises.
Sherub Dorji
