Who does THIMPHU belong to: Our collective responsibility and urban woes

The city does not just belong to the census holders or the owners of land and buildings. Besides, it is the capital city of the country where our royal family, leaders, policy and decision-makers, families and friends live. It does also belong to the future generations who do not have a voice now. Our actions or inactions will affect the future, more than the present population. They will affect the citizens of Bhutan who own the capital as an image of their nationhood more than those who own shops and plots and buildings. This unique agglomeration brings with it a rare challenge and an opportunity to serve and perform.

The reason plans are prepared are to holistically approach at solving common problems and challenges for the benefit of many, not a few. More than the money income, planning attempts to fairly distribute what is known in jargon as the ‘real income’. It includes such intangible psychic income as is provided by clean air, lack of noise, agreeable neighbours, freedom from crime, good education, arrangement and provision of services accessible by efficient transport, good environment, and a host of other things.

Another reason for planning intervention is to factor in the long term costs and benefits which the private entities, in their calculation for profit and loss, will never have public interest at heart.

Up until now it was only the land and building owners who approach the Thimphu City Corporation (TCC). Very few comments and suggestions they make are worthy to be noted but most pertain to vested personal interests. We would therefore encourage all the residents, to voice their concerns and provide befitting suggestions concerning the common good. Help us to serve you better.

The difficulties that we face, apart from shortage of relevant professionals and resources (which are perennial problems) are:

1. Lack of      relevant laws and legislations, not only to help guide the development but      also to give a legal backing while planning for public purposes. Almost      all countries around the globe has some kind of a planning law which      specify how, what, when, where, why, and during what circumstances,      planning interventions may be made. They provide for preparation,      introduction and adoption of secondary legislations which may be required      for effective, efficient and appropriate planning and development.
2. The Thromde      Act 2007 and its subsequent version (Local Government Act 2009) mainly      address the issues of administration of the municipalities and their      functions. It does not and should not address the specific needs of urban      planning.
3. The Land Act      2007 hasn’t made much changes compared to the Land Act of 1979 in the      sense that it is still rural focussed.
4. Urbanization      being a recent phenomenon in our context most people fail (or pretend or      are ignorant) to understand the fundamental complexities of urban issues.      Thromdes can never be equated to Gewogs or to the Dzongkhag      administration. They are inherently different and more complex than anyone      could imagine.
5. Finally, the      limited numbers of urban professionals and urban experts in the country      have not been able to make their voices heard like that of doctors,      pilots, teachers, lawyers and less so – the engineers.

Urban affairs are very complex in nature. The problems and challenges are compounded by limited resources and relative inexperience. Our municipalities and their authorities are overwhelmed by the rapid urban expansion and increase, both in terms of area and population. Consequently, the quality and quantity of infrastructure and services provided are often inadequate and inappropriate. While the municipalities, as offices in-charge of urban services, definitely must take responsibility for many of the issues, the public at large must also realize they have a social responsibility, in addition to the barrage of complaints and accusations against the municipalities. What we need is a multi-pronged approach – policy coordination, institutional setup and legal frameworks, professionalism and capacity building and public awareness and responsibility. Given our development stage we must expect and accept that our system has scope for improvement. But in the meantime we must tolerate our urban woes because our collective expectations can be achieved only through our collective contributions.