In the meantime, city officials said they would close the stretch once in a while to get people used to the change in the offing
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| Norzin Lam |
Thimphu City 30 September, 2011 - The
exacerbating situation of city traffic congestion becomes evident
during peak hours, and almost perpetually so along Norzin lam, the
stretch between the taxi parking area on the south and Chubachu to the
north of Thimphu.
The government, in its desperate attempt to
accommodate the unceasing growth of cars, has widened roads, drawn
one-way traffic and added several road networks.
Another attempt is being made at decongesting the Norzin lam stretch.
This time, Thimphu thrompon Kinley Dorji said, they were considering a total closure of the stretch for cars.
He said this was a plan that was sketched out in the Thimphu structural plan, 2002-27.
“It didn’t happen between 2002 and 2011,” he said. “But it ought to happen any time soon, maybe by 2013.”
Until an alternative route could be sorted out, in the absence of which
the other road networks would be congested, he said, the plan had to
stay on paper.
The stretch was, on several special occasions, closed for vehicular
movement in the past, and Kinley Dorji said there were suggestions from
the prime minister to do so at least once a month.
That way, he said, Thimphu residents would be gradually attuned to the change that is to come.
The traffic that is planned be closed between 8am and 8pm, would,
however, open after those times for vehicles bringing supplies for the
shops.
As an alternative to that route, he said, they were considering opening
the road along the city corporation office, neighbouring the newly built
eight-eleven supermarket below the Imtrat hospital.
That road would open up to join the snake road towards the memorial
chorten. Cars driving down the opposite direction could go up the
junction towards the former Bhutan Development Finance Corporation
office to join the swimming pool road.
All these roads, Kinley Dorji said, would be widened for smooth traffic flow.
He said the Imtrat had agreed to let a road pass through their boundary,
which entails dismantling some of their toilets and carpentry workshop
that the city would have to rebuild for them.
“We’re in negotiation with Bhutan Power Corporation officials to
consider taking their electric substations underground,” he said, adding
they occupied a major space on the alternative road they were planning.
With respect to parking spaces for vehicles that were almost permanently
parked along Norzin lam, he said they were going to build between five
and six-storied parking space in the Zangdopelri area that will fit in
at least 500 cars.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), Kinley Dorji said,
conducted a study of the existing vehicles along Norzin Lam and found
there were just about 300 of them.
“We’ve requested IFC to conduct another study on the possibility of a
public-private-partnership model on the multistoried parking,” he said.
“We’ll provide the land for private people to build the parking.”
Other alternatives for parking spaces, he said, were the gullies below
the existing parking lots between Changlam square and the roundabout
below taxi parking area.
“We’ll have more parking areas for which we’ll have to raise pillars
from underneath to lay concrete parking spaces,” he said. “We’re
exploring all possible alternatives to realise our plan.”
The entire project, which is expected to shape up by 2013, would cost
the government Nu 120M, including creation of parking spaces, widening
alternative roads and taking the electric substations underground.
While many Thimphu residents were excited about the imminent change that
is scheduled for the city, a few shopkeepers said, so long as their
businesses were unhampered, they welcomed it.
By Samten Wangchuk
Collected by Yangka Tamang
http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=20958
His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, Their Majesties the Queen
Mothers, and Their Royal Highnesses the Princes and Princesses offered
prayers and received blessings from the sacred tooth relics of Lord
Buddha and his two chief disciples.
They belong to the Maha Bodhi Society which has its headquarters in
Kolkata, India. The Prime Minister is the president of the Maha Bodhi
Society.
Quake : Je Khenpo’s Televised Address 30 September, 2011 - Addressing
the nation in a rare televised address last evening, His Holiness the
70th Je Khenpo, Trulku Jigme Chhoeda, said the zhung dratshang is
performing kurims all across the country for the safety and wellbeing of
the people and the country, following the September 18 tremors. 
