Work has begun to beautify Bajo town in Wangdue through the development of parks and valley of flowers in the 12th Plan.

The thromde boundary is about two sqkm. The core area is about 15 hectares, which has 138 plots and 131 buildings.

Wangdue dzongdag Sonam Jamtsho said that one of the main criticisms the town has received is that the same height of congested buildings looks ugly. “Our priorities are focused on improving the scenery of Bajo town so that people from across the river, not only see Bajo throm but also so many other developments.”

The structure plan for the throm was completed in 2015. The proposal plan focuses on development of the new municipal town, a valley of flowers and river front development. The new municipal town or LAP area would be developed in the existing Bajo village.

Urban planner with Bajo municipality, Cheki Wangchuk said that the current development of the LAP area would focus on Bajo village as most requests for land transition, sub division and construction come from Bajo village, which has more plot owners and residents.

Sonam Jamtsho said that the dzongkhag administration and its people are proposing to allow the construction of two storied to five storied buildings. “A good city is a mixture of both tall buildings and short ones,” he said.

The proposal also includes the development of a valley of flowers running between the existing main area and the extended area, which would then join the riverfront development area.

Principal urban planner, Karma Dorji, said that the development of the valley of flowers would minimise the intensity of the dense and similar structure scenery of the core area.

However, the plan for the extended throm’s LAP area is under review due to some new proposals from the people during the consultation.

The people and the dzongkhag administration had proposed the increase of building height to five from three storied, a vegetable market and a football stadium at the current Bajothang hospital area after the hospital is moved to Jatshokha. Others include construction of a town hall and a youth centre at the area proposed for relocation of Wangdue primary school. The school was proposed to be relocated to the current Bajothang hospital area.

Sonam Jamtsho said that as the current hospital area is attached with Bajothang higher secondary school, moving the primary school to the hospital area would be beneficial for future expansion of the schools.

Sonam Jamtsho said that the 12th Plan would also focus on development of a park in the open area at the centre of Bajo town.

He said that the drawing and design for the park would be ready next month. The park has a proposed budget of about Nu 20 million.  “We are planning to connect the new park with the existing prayer wheels on the other side of the road with a traditional bridge.”

Development of the recently inaugurated taxi parking with a capacity of more than 50 taxis, an open stage, public toilets and new vegetable shed for local produce are also initiated to improve the scenery of the town.

Karma Cheki | Wangdue