Despite the long-anticipated promise to revitalise Dorokha town in Samtse this year, the project remains stalled before it could even begin. Budget constraints have dashed hopes and left residents in a state of uncertainty and frustration.
For years, discussions about revitalising Dorokha town had sparked excitement among locals. However, the long-anticipated facelift, initially scheduled to begin this year, has faced a significant setback due to budgetary constraints.
Many plot owners had dismantled their old houses and moved to a designated site above the town to make way for the proposed works. These works included site preparation, road widening, drainage systems, sewerage installation, and streetlights. With no progress in sight, the initial enthusiasm has turned into frustration.
Yam Kumar Sherpa, a plot owner said “Since June this year, we were told by the dungkhag administration to dismantle our houses and move to the new location. We were given new plots but there has been no progress in terms of infrastructure development. Now, they are saying there is no budget.”
Kalpana Biswa, another plot owner said “We are not able to run our businesses as well as we did at the old location. The old town was along the highway, attracting a steady flow of customers. Here, it’s the complete opposite. ”
Sherab Dorji, who is a plot owner said “Following the dungkhag administration’s instructions, we moved to the new location, hoping the town planning works would begin soon. But with the project stalled, we are stuck in these temporary houses, which are no better than cowsheds, with hardly any business.”
“We are still hopeful that Dorokha town will receive the much-needed facelift. All of us are licensed business owners, but we haven’t been able to fully utilise our licenses or earn profits. Business at the new location is poor. We sincerely urge the government to look into this issue and resolve it at the earliest,” said Man Bdr Biswa, a plot owner.
The dungkhag office and the gewog administration have been in constant communication with the Samtse District Administration regarding the issue, which was also deliberated during the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu. However, the Small Development Project (SDP) budget, which they were relying on for funding, did not allocate resources for Dorokha town’s development this year.
The municipal office said that a proposal for the first phase of the project covering road widening and site development was submitted under the SDP budget but was not approved. The office plans to reapply for funding during the next application window, from January to March, with hopes that the budget may be approved by August next year.
14 plots have been allocated for town planning initiatives across more than seven acres of land.
Dorokha, a town established about four decades ago, serves as a vital trading hub for over 30 shops catering to residents of Dorokha, Denchukha, and Dumtoed Gewogs, as well as some from neighbouring Sangbay Gewog in Haa.
Passang Dorji, Samtse
