The Bhutanese Leading the way.
During the Question Hour session at National Assembly (NA) yesterday the Member of Parliament (MP) from Nanong Shumar constituency, Lungten Namgyel, asked the Information and Communications Minister Karma Donnen Wangdi about the possibility to waive off the parking fees for patients at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH).
The MP stated that the parking fee charged at JDWNRH is causing much inconvenience to the patients, and further said the hospital is not a place where people come to have fun. The people visit the hospital because of health issues, and on top of that, parking fees are charged.
In response to the question, the Minister of Information and Communication stated that the issue has nothing to do with the Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC) or the Thimphu Thromde.
Lyonpo stated that JDWNRH became an autonomous body, giving them the authority to work and make decisions. However, MoIC has approached the management and asked them about the matter, and they had their reasons.
“JDWNRH has four parking areas, each with a capacity of 200 vehicles, and the space is still insufficient and has been causing problems. This is due to the fact that people from all over the country come to JDWNRH for check up, causing traffic congestion. Thus, the management implemented the parking system,” MoIC Lyonpo explained.
Lyonpo also mentioned that those who do not own a car, and rely on taxis, have separate parking and the management also stated that when the parking fee is not charged, residents in the surrounding area park their cars in the evening, causing problems.
