In Gelephu Thromde, residents of Namkhaling Demkhong are concerned about the malfunctioning of most of the solar streetlights in their community. Of the 14 streetlights installed by the thromde in 2019, only two are working today.
During the recent Thromde Tshogde, the thuemi of Namkhaling Demkhong requested the tshogde to address the lack of street lighting in their neighbourhood.
He said that most of the solar lights installed in 2019 are no longer functioning, making it dangerous for residents to commute at night in an area frequented by snakes and wild elephants.
Sanjog Pradhan, Namkhaling Demkhong Thuemi said “The thromde office tried to repair them, but they still do not work. Our area is risky because wild elephants frequently visit. Students return home late from tuition, and shopkeepers come back after closing their shops around 8 to 10 PM. Is there any alternative support available for us?”
Karma, a resident said “A streetlight is necessary in this area because both vehicles and pedestrians travel here in complete darkness.”
Meanwhile, the Gelephu Thromde’s chief engineer said that proper streetlights were not installed in Namkhailing Demkhong due to the lack of a proper road and drainage system.
However, the Local Area Plan for Namkhaling Demkhong was recently approved.
The chief engineer added that, as a temporary solution, the thromde office will install low-cost, more efficient solar lights in the current financial year until the road and drainage system are completed.
Ugyen Dorji, the chief engineer of Gelephu Thromde said “Our research indicates that sourcing replacement parts for the current solar lights is challenging due to their electronic components, making quick repairs difficult. We have identified an alternative brand of all-in-one solar lights, which are smaller and cost between Nu 5,000 and 8,000.”
Namkhaling Demkhong is located below the Gelephu-Trongsa Highway, near the Bhutan-India border gate at Dargari, and consists of around 300 households.
Karma Wangdi, Gelephu
Edited by Sherub Dorji
