The capital city’s council has come up with a lot of measures to control illegal activities in the city. Stopping illegal connection of water supply, bypassing or tampering with water metres, digging and damaging roads or footpaths and many more will come with a hefty fine of Nu 45,000 besides asking the violators to fix the damage.

Time will tell how seriously the thromde will implement what they have announced. But the initiative is timely, if not late. If they can implement half of what they announced, it will improve the lives of the capital city’s residents. Many feel there is inequality in the services the thromde provides. Perhaps this arises from the fact that some have overflowing water tanks while some have no water for days in a row.




Digging up roads, including newly surfaced ones, to lay pipes or cables, blocking footpaths with cars or destroying them for access roads, connecting illegal water supply and parking on roadsides  are problems that called for interventions a long time ago.  Nobody cared. The hefty fines should discourage violators. The capital’s residents will enjoy the benefits of these bold decisions.

Many accuse Thromde officials and their workers for much of the problem. It is either their plumber or engineer for approving illegal water connections or allowing the digging of roads. This means unequal distribution of drinking water or inconvenience to the general public. Water is a big issue in the capital. There is enough for all, the problem is in distribution. Some have excess and some shortage. Connecting kitchen wastewater to the thromde’s main sewer line became a business for some. How did this happen under the watchful eyes of the thromde?




Following the thromde’s notification, some residents became witty, but with a reason as they know that the thromde could do a lot better in enhancing services.  Some suggested penalising the thromde, 50 percent of the monetary fines they notified, for failing to provide services like drinking water.

The list is long indicating that the services are poor. Pothole-ridden capital city roads, overflowing drains, bursting sewer lines that flood the city’s main thoroughfare with sewer water, and waste strewn openly are the eyesore in the capital city. There is a general consensus that the capital city has to be clean, green, and infrastructures well maintained. It has not happened after decades of urban planning.




Parking space is a big issue. Thromde’s building rules mandate that each building should provide enough parking space for the tenants. This is strictly followed on paper (architectural and structural rules). On the ground, it is different. Parking spaces on paper to get approval – are converted to shops or residents, even if it is inhabitable. Thromde has done nothing. This is evident from cars overflowing on the sides of widened roads making them narrower.

The recent thromde notification should be welcomed. It should not be one way. If the lives of the capital’s residents can be improved, we should respect it and the thromde should stick to its strict notification.