After a wait for more than six years, the residents of Dagapela town are overjoyed with the town development works which began earlier this month. Following a letter from the Dagana Dzongkhag Administration, plot owners started dismantling their old structures in the existing town to kick start the new construction works. The new construction will, however, begin in the next few months.
Dagapela town is home to about 10,000 people.
The existing Dagapela town which is in poor shape was constructed some nine decades ago. Most of the structures are in delipidated condition. His Majesty The King granted Land Ownership Certificate to 36 plot owners in 2017.
Bal Bahadur Rana, the Tsenda-Gang Gup said at the moment, Dagapela town is neither a district’s town nor a satellite town.
“We hope that it will be identified as a dzongkhag town in the future. It took almost six years to plan the town. Private construction works will be entertained in the next few months. However, we are told that public infrastructure such as road and other facilities will start next year.”
Sangay Norbu, a resident of the town expressed his happiness on starting the construction works. “We are gearing up to start the construction as His Majesty granted us the Land Ownership Certificate in 2017.”
For now, the residents are busy constructing temporary sheds on leased land just above the existing town. They will run their businesses from the sheds until the construction of the new structures is complete.
However, some residents are concerned about getting construction workers and materials in the wake of the pandemic.
“There are chances of not getting construction materials on time. Moreover, the prices of construction materials have increased drastically,” said Nado, a plot owner of in the town.
The works to connect the town with adequate drinking water supply is also in full swing. As of now, 90 per cent of the works are complete. Water scarcity was one of the reasons for the delay in town development works.
Pema Tshewang, Dagana
