KP Sharma

Samtse—Three or four decades ago, the dusty little town of Gola Bazaar, tucked in the quiet plains of Tashicholing, Samtse, was a vibrant market—teeming with traders from as far as Haa in the north and Indians from south of the border.

Cut to present: the town is a ghost of its former self, struggling to survive amid dwindling business and slow-paced development.

Its strategic location, serving as a gateway to the northern district of Haa and proximity to India, made the town a key marketplace—a trading hotspot for essential goods and a range of agricultural products including rice, cardamom, ginger, and mandarin citrus, among others.

Yet, over the years, the town quickly faded away into a cluster of grey old structures, silently languishing in a time warp.

In 2017, a fresh thrust to revive the old township brought hope and optimism to the residents of Gola Bazaar.

The Gola Bazaar town planning project was rolled out. Of the 76 plot owners, 52 were allocated land through kidu. And so, construction began.

Since then, many new buildings have mushroomed, competing with older structures that still dominate the townscape—a bitter-sweet memory of Gola Bazaar’s famed past.

A long-time businessman and resident, Shiva Raj Ghalley, who recently completed his building construction, finds himself in a rather tricky situation as business is slow.

“This is not the best of times for business,” he says. “Those days, easily 50 to 60 bags of rice moved towards Haa every day. Gola Bazaar was the main shopping destination for those traders.”

The opening of the bypass from Haa to Dorokha has diverted much of the town’s traditional customer base, severely impacting the business. “People from Haa were our main customers, but now, with the bypass, they no longer come here,” he says.

With people from Haa no longer descending to Gola Bazaar, the local population is too small to support the business ecosystem.

The shift in trading patterns and access to new markets have dealt a heavy blow to the town’s business, exacerbated by slow development of the township.

About 70 percent of plot owners have completed construction. The blacktopping of roads and development of parking spaces are scheduled to be completed this year.

The Gola town’s tshogpa, Namgay Dorji, says the deadline for the completion of the construction was 2022 but it got delayed due to the pandemic. “We are hoping the remaining construction will be completed within the next year or two,” he says.

Many plot owners have also deferred the construction due to the bleak business in Gola town.

Beyond unfinished infrastructures, there are other challenges.   

Shiva Raj Ghalley highlighted the difficulties of rising costs and poor-quality sand from local sources. “The quality of sand here is poor, and importing it from India is expensive,” he says.

Sabitri Gurung, a plot owner who is yet to build her house, says rising construction cost and lengthy loan approval process adds to the problem.

“My aunt processed her loan in March, and it has not been sanctioned yet,” she says. “These delays have discouraged many from starting new constructions.”

She believes that unless the government increases loan limits for construction, the future of Gola Bazaar remains uncertain.

The expansion of neighbouring Belbotey town has added to the  woes, drawing customers away from Gola Bazaar. Banks, police services, and other institutions have relocated to Belbotey.

Long-time business owners like Rudra Bdr Ghalley, who runs a hardware shop, have also witnessed a major drop in customers. “Over the years, business has dried up,” he says. 

Still, there is a cautious optimism among people, especially with the launch of the Gyalsung Academy and the new Tashicholing hospital.

“With the Gyalsung project and better road connectivity, we are positive that the town can rebound,” says Tshogpa Namgay Dorji.

Grocery shop owner Dilip Kumar Giri, though struggling after the pandemic, remains hopeful. “We have been here for a long time, and while business is slow, I am positive that good times are coming.”

However, he stressed the need for urban amenities like recreational facilities, parking space, streetlights, and public toilets to attract more people to the town.

While the initial town plan had included a children’s park, the funds were reallocated for construction of parking space. Streetlights were installed but dismantled for drainage construction.  Streetlights are expected to be reinstalled by the end of this financial year.

Fow now, residents and the business community of Gola Bazaar can only hope for things to change in their favour.