The Wangduephodrang Dzong reconstruction project, one of the biggest government-managed construction projects in the country, has been losing labourers due to low wages and increasing demand for construction workers in private construction projects.
The number of workers has dropped from 300 to 250 so far.
This is happening at a time when the project authority has been working towards completing the project ahead of the scheduled target of 2022 amid fears that if the COVID-19 situation worsens, it may impact the timely completion of the reconstruction work.
The Project Director, Kinley Wangchuk, said workers are leaving the project for better pay in other private constructions, as currently there is a restriction on foreign workers due to the pandemic situation in the country. “Since our project is a government project and a departmental execution, we follow the government approved minimum daily wages for labourers,” he said.
The current daily wage ranges from Nu 215 to Nu 486.
Namgay, one of the workers at the site, said he earns Nu 429 per day and faces a lot of problems due to the low wage. “Vegetable prices are going up almost everyday and we have our families to feed. With the low wage I get here it is difficult to meet our requirement,” he said.
Another worker, Dhan Bahadur Tamang said he is paid only Nu 215 per day. “It is difficult for me to manage school expenses of my children and household expenditure. With prices of commodities increasing, it is becoming difficult for us to survive. However, we are continuing to work here as there is a rumour that the government will be increasing of our wages.”
The Project Director said that as skilled workers are important at the project where most works are carried out manually, adequate daily wage is needed to retain them.
The project office has reported the issue to the government and a detailed report has been submitted to the cabinet after thorough investigation and meetings with the concerned ministry and other similar projects. The project office is expecting a decision soon from the cabinet.
The project officials said that despite the decreasing construction workers at the site, the quality of work would not be compromised. To ensure the construction schedule is not hampered and in a bid to complete it ahead of schedule, the project has also added one to two hours of paid overtime work in the evening.
Meanwhile, as part of COVID-19 preventive measures at the site, the project officials have stopped accepting volunteer workers and Tokha (meal offering) from outside and are following all safety measures as per the guidelines of health ministry.
So far 76 percent of the reconstruction work of Wangduephodrang Dzong has been completed.
A major fire on June 24, 2012 destroyed the historic fortress built in the 17th century by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. On the command of His Majesty The King, the Dzong reconstruction work started in January 2014.
Chenga Dorji
