Tshering Namgyal | Mongar

The streetlights in Mongar town were installed and handed over to the thromde recently. However, most of them have become defunct in less than a year.

More than 70 percent of the LED streetlights along the road from the Rangwangyoe truck parking area to the dzong, along the road above the dzong, Mongar middle secondary school to the vegetable shed, and the whole core town area are not operational.

Recently, thieves broke into one of the meat shops in the vegetable shed but the culprits could not be nabbed.

A police officer said night patrolling has become difficult and risky in the absence of streetlights.

A resident of the town, Kelzang, said the government spent a lot on the streetlights in the town. However, “Winter is approaching and we often see groups of youths gathering in the dark corners.”

Some residents said there is a risk of being bitten by the dogs in the darkness.

A shopkeeper who stays on the outskirts of the town said for safety reasons, she asks her friend to drop her home after her shop is shut down.

Tshewang Tashi, an electrical engineer with the dzongkhag engineering cell who supervised the work, said a fault in one line on the school side is the main reason the streetlights are not functioning.

He said the work is still within the liability period and the 10 percent from the security deposit has been retained from the contractor.

“We have reminded the contractor to repair them,” he said.

The work was awarded to the contractor at Nu 2.8 million.