Vegetable shed at Hejo and Changbangdhu to open by December: Thimphu Thromde

Hejo and Changbangdhuin Thimphu will soon have their own vegetable sheds opened by December. The construction of the sheds fall under a project worth Nu 19.7 million funded by the Government of India (GOI) Small Development Project (SDP) IV. The construction of a third vegetable shed in Olakha was cancelled, according to Thimphu thromde.

“Due to some reason, we had to cancel the construction of the vegetable shed at Olakha but Thromde is planning to construct a new vegetable shed at Babesa which will be much bigger than the vegetable shed we planned at Olakha,” Site Engineer, Thimphu Thromde, Sonam Namgay said.

He added that Thimphu’s weekend market, Centenary Farmers’ Market (CFM), is the largest domestic market for the farmers in Bhutan as farmers from all over Bhutan come to sell their farm produce. There are thousands of people that come to the market and this has causedtraffic congestion.

“Vegetable sheds at Changbangdhu and Hejo is already completed but there are some additional works like proper drainage network and sewer network along this area and also due to additional electrification work. We are also constructing parking space,” said Sonam Namgay.

The site engineer saidpeople from Babesa, Olakha, Changzamtog and Changbangdhu can buy vegetables from Changbangdhu vegetable shed and people from Hejo, Jungshina, Pamtsho and Zilukha can shop at the Hejo vegetable shed without having to drive all the way to CFM.

He said, “Apart from vegetable sheds, Thromde has also constructed meat shops and public toilets.There are about 60 meat shops in Thimphu and almost all the meat shops are in private buildings. Thromde’s plan is not to create additional meat shop but to shift the meat shop with vegetable shed as there is certain area allotted for meat shop.”

He said the decision to shift the meat shops was made after the Thimphu Thromde received numerous complaints from residents, and it is expected to reduce the number of stray dogs and promote good health and hygiene in the city.

Hejo vegetable shed has 20 slots and Changbangdhu has 24 slots. 8 vendors at Hejo and 6 vendors in Changbangdhu who are currently selling their farm product in temporary sheds will be provided a space at the vegetable market sheds.  The old temporary sheds will be demolished in the city.

The vegetable shed at Hejo is worth Nu 5 million and the vegetable shed at Changbangdhu is worth Nu 10.8 million.According to Thromde, there are plans to construct vegetable sheds in Motithang and Simtokha by 2020.