Gasa will soon have a new town. The present Gasa town will be relocated to Kholikha under Khatoed Gewog. The decision was reached at the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
“The site that has been identified for the new town is just near the Dzong. It’s a 70 acre land. The present town is too small and there is no scope for expansion,” said Sonam Jigme, the Gasa Dzongdag, adding that they have also begun the works.
The new town planning is yet to gain shape but the people are elated with the news. It will put to an end a host of problems they are currently faced with.
One major problem is lack of hotels providing lodging facility. Visitors to Gasa, mainly government officials, struggle to find a place to put up while on official tour to the Dzongkhag.
“We do have a guest house but many a times it is reserved for high government officials. So, when our friends visit us, we have to put them up with our neighbours’ places. We really need hotels with lodging facility,” said Tashi Penjor, one of the Dzongkhag staff.
The Khatoed Gup, Pema Dorji, said it is difficult arranging accommodation when government officials come to Gasa for meetings and other official works.
There is also no fuel depot. With most Dzongkhag staff owning cars, they have to drive all the way to Punakha to refuel their cars.
“The beginning of summer is also the beginning of a lot of problem. Rain, road blocks and power disruption. With no fuel depot, we end up cooking on wood fed stoves,” said Tek Bahadur Tamang, Health Assistant, Gasa.
Other problems include limited vegetables available for sale and that too at very high prices.
All these problems are expected to be solved once Gasa gets its new town.
