The Sha Branch of Natural Resources Development Corporation Limited in Wangdue Phodrang will soon resume its sand supply from the site below Rinchhengang village. The dredging site was closed in January this year after the district administration did not approve the renewal of the site. However, the government gave approval recently.
Dredging works at the site first began in 2014.
In about a decade, the NRDCL supplied almost 94,000 truckloads of sand, worth about Nu 220 M, to 13 districts in western and central regions from the dredging site.
Restoration work at the site was carried out and a road leading to the site is being constructed.
According to the NRDCL officials, sand supply was affected in June and July despite supplying sand from the YBM area after the closure of the site below Rinchhengang village.
The YBM area is located about a few hundred meters away from the Rinchengang site.
For now, the YBM site supplies around 150 truckloads of sand every day.
Truckers BBS talked to welcome the news of the dredging site reopening.
“Earlier, we faced problems. But these days, we are getting enough sand though there is only one dredging site. NRDCL people are working tirelessly. Likewise, I would be grateful if the dredging site below Rinchengang village could be reopened,” said Tshering Wangdi, a trucker.
Meanwhile, some truckers said with the moratorium on new housing and hotel construction loans, there is limited demand in the market.
According to a news release from the NRDCL, almost 90 per cent of supply backlog due to the site’s closure has been met, so far.
The news release also stated that with the water level along the Punatsangchhu receding, additional stock sand will be available apart from the dredged sand.
Changa Dorji, Wangdue Phodrang
Edited by Tshering Zam