The forgotten town of Dagapela
The existing town has not seen development for almost two decades
It was once the commercial hub of Dagana, the most happening place and the centre of Dagana dzongkhag. But Dagapela today looks like a forgotten town with its residents only remembering of how it was once.
With more shops opening in the chiwogs and roads connecting gewogs, Dagapela remains like a town that has suddenly lost it life.
The bazaar or the town has all the required amenities like hospital, schools, gewog office, RNR extension office, ATM facility and banks. There are also automobile repair workshops, pharmacy, hardware and electronics shops, hotels and restaurants. There is service to Thimphu, Phuentsholing and Gelephu.
Resident Radhika, 65, recalls how the bazzar was full of life about two decades ago. “There were not many shops and people would line to shop from the few shops,” she said. “The weekend was the most exciting.”
Radhika said that development couldn’t bring back the life of the town. The town has not changed much. “My children have children, but the not much has changed in Dagapela,” said Radhika.
The town’s oldest Tshogpa since, Ap Nado said they have requested dzongkhag and gewog for a new township with the proper town plan, drinking water supply and electricity since the 1990’s but there has been no response.
“I have given up hope to see the old town develop into a yenlag throm after Lhamoizingkha was declared one,” he said. “Hope the Dagapela-Dalbari national highway would bring some changes to our town.”
Dagapela is central to seven gewogs and has huge business potential. “We are living in such a poor condition where we lack all the facilities that a town requires he said
Local resident Sabtri Chettri moved to Dagapela in 1992 from Tashiding. The town has not changed much, she said.
Ugyen Dema, 65 said that in past two decades many gups had completed office, but none of them brought any change in the town although they talk about changes all the time.
Last year, the works and human settlement minister Dorji Choden directed dzongkhag officials and the gup to identify a land to set up a commercial center in Dagapela. Following her directives, officials surveyed 15 acres of state land near the dratshang and submitted a report to the ministry immediately, however, ministry did not approve the use of state land for the whole commercial hub and recommend including private land, which was later inform to people.
Dagapela is located under Tsendagang gewog, 45km away from Daga dzong. Tsendagang has the third highest population in the dzongkhag with 3,561.
Former Tsendagang gup Bal Bahadur Rana said Dagapela bazaar is set to change into a better town once the township plan and allocation is approved by the ministry. Today it is affected with shortage of water, frequent electricity blackouts and bad road conditions.
He also said that the issue had been raised by his parents but without a solution. “During my tenure also, the same issue is raised, but the ministry did not approve the use of state land for the whole commercial hub.”
Shopkeeper Sonam said people needs to cooperate to develop the town, as most people from all places depend on the town. “People from as far as Daga dzong come for shopping and the movement of people would increase once the Dagapela – Dalbari highway completes,” he said.
Dagachu Project employee Sangay said the Dagachu project has been completed but the twon has not developed. “I came here when the project started, but haven’t seen any improvement in the town. During monsoon, road to the town is closed and have to walk about four kilometers,” he said.
Hoteliers said business is hampered as they depend heavily on electricity. “As without electricity, it becomes tiring to cook for many heads, thought our dzongkhag has been boost with Dagachu Hydro Project.
Light goes off for 5 to 10 times in a day and difficult to complete work, for which I have to use net and at night, power is unpredictable said a official who came from Thimphu on tour.
Hoteliers said business is hampered as they depend heavily on electricity. “Without electricity, it becomes tiring to cook for many heads and it has been like that,” said one.
Bhutan Power Corporation’s in-charge in Dagapela Sonam Choda said Dagachhu project has nothing to do with Dagapela, as electricity to the town is supplied from a sub-station in Darjay, Tsirang. “Fluctuation of electricity is because of the problems at the substation,” he said.
For the power from Tsirang to reach Dagana, there are 14 transformers and the disturbance on one transformer hampers the main line which leads to the problem of fluctuations, he explained. “The construction of a 220/33 KV sub-station in Dagapela is underway and once the sub-station is complete, this will solve the issue,” the in-charge said.
The existing town has not seen development for almost two decades
It was once the commercial hub of Dagana, the most happening place and the centre of Dagana dzongkhag. But Dagapela today looks like a forgotten town with its residents only remembering of how it was once.
With more shops opening in the chiwogs and roads connecting gewogs, Dagapela remains like a town that has suddenly lost it life.
The bazaar or the town has all the required amenities like hospital, schools, gewog office, RNR extension office, ATM facility and banks. There are also automobile repair workshops, pharmacy, hardware and electronics shops, hotels and restaurants. There is service to Thimphu, Phuentsholing and Gelephu.
Resident Radhika, 65, recalls how the bazzar was full of life about two decades ago. “There were not many shops and people would line to shop from the few shops,” she said. “The weekend was the most exciting.”
Radhika said that development couldn’t bring back the life of the town. The town has not changed much. “My children have children, but the not much has changed in Dagapela,” said Radhika.
The town’s oldest Tshogpa since, Ap Nado said they have requested dzongkhag and gewog for a new township with the proper town plan, drinking water supply and electricity since the 1990’s but there has been no response.
“I have given up hope to see the old town develop into a yenlag throm after Lhamoizingkha was declared one,” he said. “Hope the Dagapela-Dalbari national highway would bring some changes to our town.”
Dagapela is central to seven gewogs and has huge business potential. “We are living in such a poor condition where we lack all the facilities that a town requires he said
Local resident Sabtri Chettri moved to Dagapela in 1992 from Tashiding. The town has not changed much, she said.
Ugyen Dema, 65 said that in past two decades many gups had completed office, but none of them brought any change in the town although they talk about changes all the time.
Last year, the works and human settlement minister Dorji Choden directed dzongkhag officials and the gup to identify a land to set up a commercial center in Dagapela. Following her directives, officials surveyed 15 acres of state land near the dratshang and submitted a report to the ministry immediately, however, ministry did not approve the use of state land for the whole commercial hub and recommend including private land, which was later inform to people.
Dagapela is located under Tsendagang gewog, 45km away from Daga dzong. Tsendagang has the third highest population in the dzongkhag with 3,561.
Former Tsendagang gup Bal Bahadur Rana said Dagapela bazaar is set to change into a better town once the township plan and allocation is approved by the ministry. Today it is affected with shortage of water, frequent electricity blackouts and bad road conditions.
He also said that the issue had been raised by his parents but without a solution. “During my tenure also, the same issue is raised, but the ministry did not approve the use of state land for the whole commercial hub.”
Shopkeeper Sonam said people needs to cooperate to develop the town, as most people from all places depend on the town. “People from as far as Daga dzong come for shopping and the movement of people would increase once the Dagapela – Dalbari highway completes,” he said.
Dagachu Project employee Sangay said the Dagachu project has been completed but the twon has not developed. “I came here when the project started, but haven’t seen any improvement in the town. During monsoon, road to the town is closed and have to walk about four kilometers,” he said.
Hoteliers said business is hampered as they depend heavily on electricity. “As without electricity, it becomes tiring to cook for many heads, thought our dzongkhag has been boost with Dagachu Hydro Project.
Light goes off for 5 to 10 times in a day and difficult to complete work, for which I have to use net and at night, power is unpredictable said a official who came from Thimphu on tour.
Hoteliers said business is hampered as they depend heavily on electricity. “Without electricity, it becomes tiring to cook for many heads and it has been like that,” said one.
Bhutan Power Corporation’s in-charge in Dagapela Sonam Choda said Dagachhu project has nothing to do with Dagapela, as electricity to the town is supplied from a sub-station in Darjay, Tsirang. “Fluctuation of electricity is because of the problems at the substation,” he said.
For the power from Tsirang to reach Dagana, there are 14 transformers and the disturbance on one transformer hampers the main line which leads to the problem of fluctuations, he explained. “The construction of a 220/33 KV sub-station in Dagapela is underway and once the sub-station is complete, this will solve the issue,” the in-charge said.
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