The Bumthang Dzongkhag Administration will strictly monitor the construction of new buildings in the district through the implementation of development control regulations. The move is in line with the dzongkhag’s vision to maintain traditional Bhutanese architecture for the construction of buildings.
According to dzongkhag, some of the newly constructed corporate and government buildings have not followed the dzongkhag’s development control regulations.
The dzongkhag administration has asked the relevant agencies to reshape and redesign their buildings. The issue was also extensively discussed during the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
“With the advancement of development, I think people might go for very sophisticated buildings not in conformity with the norms of the dzongkhag. Just because they can afford to build any kind of building, they are not allowed to do so,” Pasang Dorji, the Bumthang Dzongda, said.
“We sincerely request everybody in Bumthang to seek advice from the Dzongkhag Administration and relevant authorities before they start the construction of their buildings.”
The dzongkhag also conducted a sensitization workshop for all government and corporate heads working in Bumthang, local leaders and business community of Chamkhar town last week.
Officials from the Works and Human Settlement ministry briefed the participants on Bhutan Building Rules, Bhutan Architecture Guidelines and other regulations. The ministry will also conduct similar programs across the country.
“We have lots of non-complied constructions all over Bhutan. It might be because people are not aware of such kind of regulations and policies. The other reason could be because the local leaders might not be able to visit the sites and monitor the constructions daily, which leads to illegal constructions,” Tshering Dorji, the Deputy Chief Urban Planner with Department of Human Settlement, said.
As per the existing construction rules in Bumthang, only stone masonry is allowed for exterior parts of buildings and timber for structural building components.
