The recent reopening of the Jitti and Bhimtar border checkposts in Samtse and the relaxation of travel restrictions along the Indian highway to the nearby southern districts have brought relief to many residents. However, local businesses along the internal Samtse-Phuentshogling highway are not as happy with this development. They fear that it will affect their business as residents opt for Indian highways over the internal route.
Yadav Chettri, a 23-year-old entrepreneur from Sang-Ngag-Choeling Gewog in Samtse, shared the concerns of local business owners along the Samtse-Phuentshogling highway.
After leaving his job in Paro, Yadav returned to Samtse with aspirations of running a restaurant in his wife’s village at Tading. His restaurant is strategically located just above the Samtse-Phuentshogling highway.
However, Yadav and his wife are regretting their decision just over a week after opening the restaurant.
“Before I opened my restaurant, I saw a lot of vehicle movement. That was the main reason why I opened a restaurant here. But looking at the current situation, there are not many vehicles using this highway and we hardly see any customers. We are losing our hopes and it is disheartening,” he said.
Yadav stays idle for most part of the day due to the lack of customers.
The recent news of the lifting of travel restrictions via Indian highways has further intensified his worries.
“It is convenient while travelling via the Indian highway but what I feel is that it will be better for everyone if we can use our internal highway. It will be safe and we will be able to help each other. At the end of the day, Bhutanese will be benefitted if we use our roads,” says Yada.
Many other businesses along the internal highway are seeing a decline in customers.
Recognising that they cannot prevent travellers from choosing Indian highways, hotel and restaurant owners are suggesting an alternative solution.
“We will be grateful if the Indian tourists are allowed to enter till Panbari. For now, Indian tourists are allowed only till the Amo Chhu area. If the tourist visiting area could be extended till Panbari, we feel that we will get a few customers and it will help us a lot,” said Shiva Lal Powdyel, who runs a hotel in Tading Gewog.
“Currently, tourists have to make a separate immigration permit to cross Amo Chhu to come here. It would be better if the district or immigration offices could make some changes to the policy and allow tourists to visit Halhaley. That way we will also get customers and the restaurants and hotels will also be able to do good business,” said Indra Maya Tamang, a restaurant owner.
Currently, day visitors from nearby border towns of India are allowed to travel only as far as the Amo Chhu bridge, which is just a few kilometres from the shops and hotels.
There are about 25 businesses in the area including hotels, restaurants, shops and vegetable vendors along the 70-kilometre Samtse-Phuentshogling secondary national highway.
Passang Dorji, Samtse
Edited by Phub Gyem
