The renovation work started in April this year and it will be completed by this month
The famous landmark in Phuentsholing town, the Zangtopelri park, is currently getting a major facelift with the government having earmarked Nu 3.7mn for its renovation and beautification.
Popular among both the locals and tourists alike, the Zangtopelri park was built in 1990 as a place of worship and relaxation.
The renovation work started in April this year and it will be completed by this month. The work package includes construction of new gates, stone wall and a footpath, along with compound lighting and painting.
The contractor of the project, Tashi Choda, said almost 70% of the work is completed, however, due to the ongoing pandemic, getting manpower has been a challenge.
“Currently I am working with 14 Bhutanese as getting Indian laborers is impossible due to the border seal, not to mention the difficulty in getting construction materials on time which bring the work to a grinding halt,” he said, adding that it takes at least a week for the materials to arrive.
Talking to Business Bhutan, Phuentsholing Thrompon Uttar Kumar Rai acknowledged how many things around Phuentsholing town have changed or been modified over the years, but so little was done to refurbish the Zangtopelri park.
“Therefore the Thromde decided to outsource the execution of the work to a private contractor for Nu 3.74mn,” he said, “The renovation will add good features to the old structure and facelift the whole area to further beautify our city.”
Further, he added the deadline of the project may get extended as the work progress was hampered by the prolonged lockdown in Phuentsholing following the explosion of positive cases earlier this year.
“The impact of frequent lockdowns hindered the work progress along with the difficulty in getting skilled foreign laborers, which has compromised the quality of work in many cases,” he said.
He feels once the renovation is completed, the Zangtopelri park will look stunning with new cladding boundary walls, better footpaths and traditional paintings, along with the installation of bright compound lightings and new Bhutanese architectural gates.
He also explained how the core area of Phuentsholing town is unplanned and developed haphazardly, while surrounded by dilapidated structures.
“To further improve the area’s appearance and to make it more livable for the residents, the Thromde has come up with an urban design concept plan which will be executed in a phased manner considering the availability of resources and feasibility of the areas,” he added.
Sonam Tashi from Phuentsholing
