𝐁𝐮𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝

…𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝑼𝒓𝒈𝒆 𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑨𝒅𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑾𝒐𝒆𝒔

By Tshering Yangden

Residents of Chamgang under Dagala gewog in Thimphu are facing mounting transportation challenges due to insufficient and unreliable bus services in their area. While commuters within the city enjoy access to regular city bus services, those residing in Chamgang often find themselves relying on taxis as an option that is neither consistent nor readily available.

With delays becoming a daily ordeal for students and employees, frustrations are growing, and calls for improved public transportation are becoming louder. Despite 55 buses operating within Thimphu town, residents of the outskirts say they are underserved, forcing them to grapple with significant disruptions to their routines.

Gado, the Gup of Dargala, expressed his dissatisfaction with the private operators now responsible for bus services in Chamgang. “The Bhutan Construction and Transport Authority (BCTA) handed over the bus service to a private company, but they are not delivering as promised. Students are late for school, and people arrive home much later than usual,” he said.

Gado added that repeated requests for additional buses have been met with excuses. “They claim they don’t have enough buses to meet the demand. This is unacceptable, especially given how critical these services are for daily life.”
For a Chamgang residents like 26-year-old Tandin Sithup, the lack of reliable transportation has become a source of constant stress. “Handing over the service to private operators was supposed to improve things, but it has not. I often struggle to find a taxi, and that makes me late for work. If the city bus service was reinstated, it would solve many of these problems.”

Passang Tshering, The Director of City Bus Services, explained why these areas were transitioned to private operators. “City bus services are provided within town limits, but places like Khasadrupchu, Jigmena, and Kabisa fall outside these boundaries. To address this, the BCTA assigned private operators to these routes,” he said.

However, he acknowledged the private services are insufficient. “Previously, city buses served Chamgang because there were no private options. Now that private buses have started operating, they are not meeting the required service levels. If additional buses and routes were allocated, we could resume services,” said Passang Tshering.

The residents’ frustration is palpable. “We used to have city buses, but now I rarely see private buses,” said Sonam Zam, a 49-year-old mother. “For the past three months, I have not seen a single bus. My children are late for school, and we are left stranded most of the time.”

Tshering Bidha, a 25-year-old shopkeeper, echoed similar sentiments. She said, “Within the city, buses run every 15 minutes. But in Chamgang, taxis are our only option, and they are unreliable. A city bus service would help us reach our destinations on time.”

Not everyone faces these challenges. Tashi Lham, 26-year-old, pointed out that areas like Jigmena and Khasadrupchu with private bus services are better off. She said, “They reach their destinations on time, unlike us in Chamgang. Finding a taxi here is a nightmare, and it delays everything.”

Gado emphasized the need for targeted interventions. “We are not asking for continuous bus services throughout the day, but having scheduled buses during peak hours would make a huge difference,” he said.
Residents also called for better planning to ensure transportation services are accessible and reliable. “The lack of proper transportation affects not just convenience but livelihoods. Students are late for school, and workers are late for their jobs. This needs urgent attention,” Gado added.

Passang Tshering highlighted the challenges faced by the City Bus Service. “The service was handed over because we lacked the buses to meet the growing demand. If provided with additional buses and if the routes are reassigned, we are ready to take over these services again.”

The transportation woes of Chamgang and its neighboring areas reveal the broader challenge of providing equitable public services beyond urban centers. Residents are clear in their demand for efficient, timely, and reliable transportation options, whether through private or public operators.

For now, the lack of coordination and insufficient resources continue to disrupt daily life for Chamgang residents, Highlighting the urgent need for a long-term solution. The call for action is loud and clear,what remains to be seen is whether authorities will respond effectively to alleviate the frustrations of the community.