Parks are meant for recreation and enjoyment. It is an area where children can play around during free time. However, the Centenary Park in Monggar is half complete and has not fulfilled its purpose. Our correspondent in Monggar says the park has instead become a breeding centre for mosquitoes.
The Centenary Park located in the heart of the Monggar town. It has been almost two and a half years now. The park is only half complete.
Besides few damaged furniture, the park is empty with bushes grown all over. The ponds are filled with dirty stagnant water giving room for mosquitoes to breed.
The construction of a park was supposed to be complete in 2008 with the initial budget of Nu. 8.5 million. Later, the contractor was given an extension of two months with additional work of constructing the retaining walls around the park. The contractor was also given an additional budget of Nu. 1.1 million.
The Dzongkhag Engineer, Tshering Nidup, said the park was supposed to have slides, merry-go-around, fountains, coffee corner and rock gardening. He said the park was constructed to create a recreational arena for the people of Monggar.
“Under the chairmanship of Dzongda I have written so many letters to the contractor, despite giving penalty period for 4 to 5 months. He did not turn up. Then the Dzongkhag Tender Committee decided to terminate the contract,” said the Engineer, adding that the contractor was supposed to report in June of this year to solve the matter but then there was not much response from him. He said he had other bills to submit to other Dzongkhags.
“He wrote an application to the Dzongkhag Tender Committee that he was under medical treatment and had medical documents to prove it. Anyway his contract is terminated,” he said.
Until now, the park is not handed over to the Dzongkhag. Meanwhile, time extension and weather conditions were cited as some of the reasons for the delay in construction.
The contractor was not available for comment.
