Kelzang Wangchuk | Samdrupjongkhar

With Covid-19 positive cases managed either in-home isolations or isolation centres, Nganglam drungkhag’s Covid-19 task force in Pemagatshel announced the third phase unlocking for the drungkhag starting yesterday.

According to the task force’s notification issued on March 8, although the community cases were detected daily during the second phase unlocking, most were confined either to colonies or containment centres, symptomatic cases have also reduced drastically, and no patients hopitalised.

The inter-gewog movement would be facilitated after obtaining e-pass. The enroute vehicles will not stop at Nganglam without prior permission from the assistant incident commander, while the gewog incident commanders are instructed to ask residents to avoid unnecessary travels.

The notification stated that zone I and II residents are allowed to move on foot within the two zones without restrictions, while the residents of zone III are allowed to move on foot only within the zone.




The residents of Dungsam Cement Corporation Limited (DCCL) and Druk Polythene Limited (DPL) will not be allowed to move out of their containment areas. At the same time, the offices can open with the only head of the office and some very essential staff.

As per the notification, the movement of the taxis are allowed within their zone and can ferry passengers of the same family or friends, and no two strangers shall travel in the same cab at a time. The shops and automobile workshops are allowed to open from 7am to 6pm.

The notification stated that the saloons could operate strictly according to the Covid-19 safety protocols while the restaurants and bars are allowed to open but only for taking away. “However, owners should test and get the RT-PCR negative results before opening.”

Imports and exports, factories and industries, and construction works are allowed to operate and facilitated strictly in containment mode. The logistic team shall facilitate essential items delivery to the red buildings, clusters and containment areas.




The funerals shall be facilitated with a minimum of 20 people, including the monks and important family members, and the financial institutes shall be operated with 50 percent capacity for both staff and customers.

“Mobile services shall also be allowed but should be operated as per the Covid-19 safety protocols and crowd not more than 10 customers, while the one-time movement of the DCCL and DPL staff from zone I and II shall be facilitated,” the notification stated.

Meanwhile, the drungkhag Covid-19 task force imposed the lockdown on January 30 after a frontline worker and a resident Nganglam town tested Covid-19 positive.

More than 500 Covid-19 positive cases were reported so far in Nganglam since the first positive case was detected from the containment area on January 20. The drungkhag had 295 active cases as of yesterday.