Nima  | Gelephu

Industrial Service Centre (ISC) in Gelephu is taking shape slowly with the operationalisation centres like workshops, scrap yards, warehouses, and manufacturing units.

Of the 91 plots at ISC, 46 are operated from the new town planning area. About half of 46 service centres are operational.

While the centre is growing, the thromde has recorded an increasing number of people defaulting on lease rents. Many plot owners are yet to start full-scale services. Many are under construction.

The thromde has also been dealing with the issue of owners not being able to complete the constructions on time. Last year, thromde terminated the lease agreement of 10 plot owners.

ISC is expected to have 25 workshops, 15 warehouses, eight scrap yards, 28 manufacturing units, 12 showrooms, and two sawmills.

Officials from the thromde said that the border lockdown resulted in labour shortage and affected the plot owners who were supposed to complete their construction.

Three plot owners have approached the thromde for a deadline extension.

ISC secretary Kamal Pradhan said that most of the service providers in the centre faced the problem of not having professional manpower. “There is also a shortage of materials required to start services.”

The workshops at the centre have vehicles waiting for the spare parts to arrive.

The plot owners should complete construction and start providing service by next month as per the lease agreement signed during the plot allocation last year.

Bala Ram Gurung’s workshop is still under construction.

He was planning to start his workshop services by April this year. The cost of materials and labour increased since the border lockdown.

For a truckload of boulders, Bala Ram Gurung has to pay over Nu 6,000 today. “It used to cost only Nu 3,000. The price of cement has also increased and it’s not easily available,” he said.