KP Sharma

On the southern leg of the on-going General Election campaign, the president of People’s Democratic Party, Tshering Tobgay, pledged to construct Nyera Amari and Jomori hydro power projects while meeting the residents of Jomotshangkha, Samdrupchoeling and Orong in Samdrupjongkhar.

He also pledged to address Jomotshangkha’s erratic power supply during the summer owing to its extensive area and challenging accessibility.

“Our pledge to focus on electricity to shift from two to three-phase lines will definitely solve this issue,” Tshering Tobgay said.

The PDP promised to upgrade Jomotshangkha throm to serve the growing population and tourists from neighbouring towns. To attract tourists, the PDP plans to construct a tourist trail from Merak in Trashigang to Jomotshangkha via Lauri in Samdrupjongkhar, focusing on the trail’s potential to boost tourism along the numerous pilgrim sites.

The party also committed to blacktopping and widening the Jomotshangkha to Samrang road for bigger business opportunities, and road connectivity between Merak and Lauri for enhanced people-to-people connectivity.

Local residents said that Highlanders from Merak move to Lauri and Serthi gewogs in the winter with their cattle.

“We travel from Jomotshangkha to Kangpar and Thrimshing for pilgrimage,” said a resident.

The PDP promised to widen the road from Lauri to Serthi gewog with additional inputs and widening of the road between Dewathang to Orong.

PDP promised to revisit some business regulations that would boost cross-border business and help in creating more opportunities for the people in the region.

Samdrupjongkhar has two constituencies and both were won by the PDP in the primary election.