Drukgyel Dzong in Paro is 43% physically complete so far since its reconstruction started in March 2016.
The Salang Tendrel (ground breaking ceremony) of the reconstruction of the dzong was done on February 6, 2016. Nu 500m has been allocated to the project, which is divided into seven phases.
The Project Manager, Namgay Dorji, said that of the seven phases, they have completed phase one and two. “The physical progress of phase three planned for the financial year 2018-19 is 75% complete.”
As per the plan, the work on phase four will commence from July 2019 and will end on June 2020. However, since the project is almost three months ahead of the plan, works on phase four are expected to start by April 2019.
The work completed so far are phase one including the Utsi (four-storied structure) and phase two including two numbers of two-storied structure, three-storied structure and four-storied structure.
The ongoing phase three includes five numbers of three-storied structures and presently they are working on the fourth and fifth structure.
Currently, 213 workers are engaged with the project including 49 carpenters, 86 masons, 63 unskilled workers, three electricians, two plumbers and four drivers.
Namgay Dorji said that the total budget mobilized is Nu 140.45mn till December 2018.
For 2018-19, the proposed budget is Nu 50mn but the project has received only Nu 25mn, of which Nu 24.2mn has already been used. “We need to request for the balance of Nu 25mn immediately,” said the Project Manager.
The completion of the reconstruction project includes building the structures, providing traditional Bhutanese paintings, proper drainage system and courtyards.
The Project Manager said that the project includes the dzong compound and not the structure outside the dzong area.
“The furnishing and any other major requirement inside the structure might again incur additional cost and time,” he said.
Drukgyel Dzong was built in 1649 to honor Bhutan’s victory over the combined forces of the military from Tibet and Mongolia. The Dzong is believed to be the first of its kind. The Dzong used to house sacred documents that were lost to a fire in 1951.
The project is estimated to complete by December 2022.
Dechen Dolkar from Paro
