Tshogde: Norzin lam will be closed for vehicular traffic on the first Sunday of every month starting June this year.

This was one of the resolutions of the Thimphu Thromde Tshogde, which was held yesterday.

Thrompon Kinlay Dorjee said that the resolution’s purpose is to make people adapt to the permanent closure of Norzin Lam after the two multi-level car parks in the city are completed.

The thromde will have to compensate Ms KCR, a parking operator for the affected parking slots along Norzin Lam but it is important that people get used to the off-street parking facilities, Thrompon Kinlay Dorjee added.

There are 252 parking slots along Norzin Lam.

The multi-level car parks construction will be complete by December next year, after which the major street will be transformed into a pedestrian-only area.

The tshogde also affirmed that the thromde would create new parking spaces in the city, wherever appropriate, and no vehicles will be allowed to park along the road where there are no designated parking spaces provided.

The thuemis said that most people park their cars along the road even if the area does not have a designated parking space to avoid parking fees.

“We widen the city roads to ease traffic congestion yet people park their cars beside the road and add to congestion on the road,” Thrompon Kinlay Dorjee said.

No parking signs will be placed on narrow roads so that road space will be opened up.

Thrompon Kinlay Dorjee said that it is important that parking rules are made clear and parking services are improved in order to ease traffic congestion and facilitate mass urban transportation.

The thuemis also approved the thromde’s proposal of collecting parking fees on the outskirts of the city.

After studying the feasibility, the thromde will start parking fee collections in Motithang, Changangkha and Olakha.

The thuemis agreed to delegate cleaning services of some areas in the city to the Youth Social Service Centre (YSSC). YSSC will recruit 18 unemployed youths for the service.

The thromde will monitor YSSC’s performance for a year.

Thromde officials also updated the thuemis on the lists of offences related to waste management and construction of the low-income housing project, among others.

 Dechen Tshomo