Initiative: Making it clear that the people aren’t questioning the performance of the workers, Shumar Gup Lepo, during the 11th dzongkhag tshogdu (DT), asked the new Pemagatshel Dzong construction project manager on the status of the project.

He said even if people knew when the project began, not many are aware about what is happening with the project.

Lepo said as people of Pemagatshel they ought to know the status of the project.

“We’re concerned as villagers, and we would like to know about the status. We’re not blaming the project,” he clarified. “It’s quite embarrassing when outsiders ask us the status of the project and we don’t have any answer.”

The new dzong will be relocated to Denchi along with the existing town. Denchi is almost an hour’s drive from the present dzong in Pemagatshel town.

The dzong is designed using modern technology, and will accommodate 100 staff and 50 rabdey monks.

Responding to the gup, the project manager Lhaten Dorji said people should not worry because the construction work is on track. He assured the gup that they are working hard to complete the construction on time. He explained that the project which began since 2012 is a spillover of the 10th Plan and that almost 45 percent of the work is done.

“We have completed the construction of block C, D and E and we are connecting the tubular truss.”

The project manager said the work, which was put on hold after the design of the utse and drasha had to be changed, will also resume from last week of April.

“We’re receiving budget on time and all the required raw materials are in place with enough workers. So the work is going smoothly and we hope to complete on time.”

The construction of the dzong will be completed in 2018 instead.

Yangchen C Rinzin, Pemagatshel