Tshering Namgyal | Mongar
In Mongar, traffic police have come up with a rule that Bolero pickup trucks should be parked in a designated parking area above the vegetable shed.
Owners and drivers of Bolero pickup trucks say they are being discriminated against.
“Nowhere in Bhutan is there a designated parking for Bolero. It’s a light vehicle like any other,” a bolero driver, Wangchuk, said.
Bolero is the main mode of transportation for most farmers in the country.
Bolero drivers also said the designated parking is small and other light vehicles also park there. Congestion is a growing problem in the town.
“We have to park far away from the vegetable shed. Shopping becomes very difficult,” said Kinley, another Bolero driver. “Even in bigger towns like the capital city and Phuentsholing, Boleros can be parked in the light vehicle parking lot. Why is this rule in a small town like Mongar?”
Bolero drivers say that other similar vehicles, such as the Hilux and Prado are allowed to park in front of the vegetable market shed. Some are kept there for the entire day. “From where does the issue of space come?” a driver asked.
Some Bolero drivers claim that they are not even allowed to park at night when the parking space is empty.
Mongar police said that Boleros carrying local farm produce come to the shed in the morning from villages, leading to congestion.
A grocery shop owner said, unlike before, cars could now park only for a few minutes with parking lights on while doing shopping. “This is affecting our business.”
Ugyen Wangchuk drives a Bolero taxi. He said that it was difficult to find parking space in the whole of Mongar town because Boleros can’t park anywhere.
The police said that this measure was adopted to streamline traffic rules and regulations.