The Urban Planning Division of Thimphu Thromde is short-staffed. They have only five urban planners.Two Urban Planners quit last year in addition to another one who left this year.
The division is finding it difficult to meet the rising demands of a developing town with the workload increasing by the day.
There are 12 local area plans under Thimphu Township. With the current strength, one urban planner has to look after at least three to four local area plans.
Pushpa Raj Sharma and Suk Kumar Gurung are the only two of the five urban planners left with the Division, today.
“The problem is, when we look after more than one plan, we don’t get enough time to go around each local area plan and give sufficient time to the public,” said Suk Kumar Gurung.
A former Urban Planner, Sailesh Humagai, said he quit the division as he saw more opportunities in private sector. He also said the job was too stressful.
The Thimphu Thromde’s Human Resource Officer, Sonam Tshewang, said they have proposed for five additional urban planners in the 11th FYP. But, it has not come through yet.