The construction of Dekiling township is waiting for budget to develop the infrastructures and internal roads.

Bushes and weeds have overtaken the area to the extent that locals started to call Dekiling a bush town.

The dzongkhag’s engineer, Yeshey Dorji, said that the planning part is completed. But no budget was allocated for this. “We even started to give construction approvals to about 15 individuals,” he said.

He said that township has three pockets – Chamkhar, Dekiling, and Jalikhar – which will all be connected.

The blacktopping work for Chamkhar-Dekiling by-pass road in Bumthang will begin next month.

The bypass has become necessary because the existing road from above Wangduechholing Lower Secondary School is narrow and causes traffic jams, especially during festivals.

The distance from Chamkhar town to Dekiling will also be shortened by about half a kilometre once the bypass is completed.

Yeshey Dorji said most of the works are completed except for blacktopping. While the road was supposed to open to traffic last year, the contractor had slowed down the progress leading to his termination.

Dzongdag Phub Tshering said that the tender has been re-awarded and that the works like drainage and footpath have all been completed. “As soon as monsoon is over, the blacktopping works will start,” he said.

Yeshey Dorji said the bypass road will be completed by the end of next month.

This is the first road under the Bumthang Urban Infrastructure Development Project. The double lane road is 10m wide.

The construction started in January last year and was supposed to be completed by March. The Government of India is funding the project under project tied assistance.

While locals are reluctant to move to Dekiling, officials said that most part of Chamkhar town is under red zone for floods and prone to fire disasters.

The officer in-charge of the Royal Bhutan Police in Chamkhar, Jamyang Dorji, said it is high time to install fire hydrant in the municipality with recurrence of fire disaster.

Dzongdag Phub Tshering said they are trying to synchronise it in the 12th Plan. Proposals are being made. “With repeated disasters, people are more aware because it is always caused by human error.”

Tshering Dorji | Bumthang