A wide expanse of land with a smattering of settlements and skeletons of a few more. That is how Tingtibi - the once eagerly awaited and supposed to be satellite town looks like now.

Tingtibi looked promising before. It was planned that during the Seventh Five Year Plan, the dzongkhag administration at Zhemgang would be relocated at the wide plain of more than 300 acres stretching out on both banks of the Mangde Chhu, 40 km from Zhemgang town.

Tingtibi was favoured because it offered ample space for town expansion unlike Zhemgang. Also it was closer to all other gewogs in the dzongkhag and future linkage through road network was also possible.

The business people in Tingtibi were elated because new township development meant better business prospects. Besides, Zhemgang’s only saw mill at Tingtibi also wanted to diversify into more lucrative ventures.

Tingtibi then was an ideal choice for both dzongkhag administration and new township.

Drainage systems, roads, public parks and toilets were on the agenda.

The business community expected a revival of sorts for their trade and took this as a possible opportunity to venture into other developmental programmes offered by the Seventh FYP.

But more than 17 years down the line and the dream has still not materialized.

Far from being a teeming hub bustling with people and activities, it looks more like a deserted ghost town.

Why? What went wrong here?

Chief Town Planner Meghraj Adhikari said that the infrastructure was laid but the town ship was inordinately delayed because it was “not strategic.”

“In terms of location it is strategic, but the rate of economic development is slow,” he said.

He also cited that lack of resources is a problem because the World Bank has withdrawn its funding in this matter.

However there is a silver lining on the cloud.

He said that with the upcoming of a major hydro-power project and better connectivity due to the new road being constructed from Panbang to Tingtibi and facilities including the hospital at Yebilaptsha, Tingtibi will grow into a satellite town in the near future, if not soon.