Thimphu Thromde’s plan of constructing an integrated bus terminal in Olakha is kept on hold as the Cabinet asked Thromde to revisit the project.
After more than 13 years of controversies with landowners, Thromde resolved the issues last year and planned to begin the construction in the early years of the current five-year plan. And now the Thromde and the government are in disagreement over the location of the project.
The new bus terminal plan is in accordance with Thromde’s master plan and was unveiled way back in 2004. It was last year when thromde solved the issues with the landowners and acquired the land but now the cabinet has recently asked thromde to revisit the project.
“The cabinet has instructed us to revisit the project. So we will submit the project once again including the benefits from shifting the bus terminal near Olarongchu in Olakha. If we look at the current situation of the bus terminal in Lungtenzampa specially during morning hours, the situation is dangerous due to congestion. So it is high time we shift the terminal,” said Kinlay Dorjee, the Thimphu Thrompon.
He added if the terminal is shifted to the proposed site, the busses coming from different places need not enter the main town. He also added the commuters could then easily take city busses from the terminal.
The government, on the other hand, found that the location of the proposed bus terminal is not ideal.
“It is important to have an integrated terminal because the existing terminal is small. However, we do not mean that we don’t want the new bus terminal at all. Firstly we have to see if it is safe to build such a structure near the river. Secondly, will it look nice in the middle of a town to build the structure?” Namgay Tshering, the Finance Minister shares his doubt.
Lyonpo added that the proposed site would best serve as a park, connecting the area with a suspension bridge and a hike route or ropeway towards Buddha point.
The integrated bus terminal was planned to be built on the Public-Private Partnership model where the private company would own the structure for thirty years after signing an agreement. The Prime Minister shared his concern on this during the recent meet the press session.
“The integrated bus terminal is costing Nu 1.3bn. Government has to initially inject Nu 300 M. So after injecting this, what if we don’t get a private partner? How will we get a Bhutanese partner who will invest up to Nu 1bn. And the second reason is, earlier when it was decided, it was outskirts of Thimphu, now that is in the heart of Thimphu. I see another potential as we look at the junction between Thimphu Chhu and Olarongchu, with the landscape on the other side and what we have up the hill. So let’s not rush on this,” added Dr Lotay Tshering, the Prime Minister.
The land identified for the construction of the new bus terminal belonged to 23 people and the area spans over six acres. The plan failed to take its progress initially due to disagreements between the two over land acquisition and compensation.
The landowners agreed to give their land for the construction at government land compensation rate last year.
Kinley Dem
