The plot-owners of new Doksum Town in Trashi Yangtse are running out of time to construct houses which Kholongchhu Hydro Energy Limited would require for its employees and workers. About 40 of them are supposed to complete the construction by end of 2016 or early 2017.
However, lack of water is delaying the construction even though more than 20 plot-owners are ready to begin construction.
The 17-kilometer new water supply line to the new township is still under construction. It was supposed to be complete by September, this year.
“We have already compiled required materials. The only reason why we could not begin is because of lack of water. Also the road is not blacktopped,” said Doksum’s Yenlang Thormdey Thuemi, Ugyen Dorji.
As an interim measure, the Kholongchhu Hydro Energy Limited will be providing water pumps to pump water from Gongri River during the constructing period. The project is currently in the process of procuring the water pumps.
The upcoming houses in the new Doksum town will be rented out to Kholongchhu Hydro Energy Limited. The project, instead of constructing their own housing colonies, has agreed to take the houses on rent.
During the construction of the plant, the project would require 200 units of houses and during operation, 100 units.
The project is currently undertaking the pre-construction works. The pre-construction works, which began in September this year, will be complete by March 2017.
Meanwhile, given good future prospect, plot owners say most of them are ready to begin the construction any time.
“We have seen lots of problem with other hydropower project like in Punatsangchhu where people construct houses but later face difficulty in paying off loans,” said Khamdang Gup, Ugyen Wangdi. However, he said, it is different with them this time as the requirement for housing from the project is huge.
There are 40 commercial and 150 residential plots in the new town area. The town development works began in 2013 to relocate the existing Doksum town, after it was found unsafe for its residents.
Construction of basic town infrastructure such as internal road network and sewerage treatment plant has been complete.
