Tinje city promise stalled

A commitment has been made to build a Himalayan city in Tinje, located in the Dolpo Buddha Rural Municipality of Upper Dolpa. In the fiscal year 2022/23 budget, then-Finance Minister Janardan Sharma pledged to construct a Himalayan city in Hilsa, Limi Valley in Humla, and Tinje in Dolpa.

This was not the first time such a promise was made. In 2019, during the silver jubilee celebration of Crystal Mountain Boarding School in Dho, then-Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ishwor Pokharel, attending as the chief guest, also committed to developing Tinje into a well-equipped and beautiful Himalayan city. On multiple observation visits to Upper Dolpa, district and central leaders made similar assurances, according to residents of Dolpo Buddha Rural Municipality.

At the time, Janardan Sharma, who accompanied Minister Pokharel to Upper Dolpa, stated that he would allocate the necessary budget to build a Himalayan city in Tinje near the Nepal-China border. However, the enthusiastic promises made during such events remain unfulfilled. Pema Dharke Gurung, Vice-chairperson of Dolpo Buddha Rural Municipality, noted that numerous leaders had pledged to transform Tinje into a historical and beautiful Himalayan city.

For this vision to materialize, the completion of the Bheri Corridor is essential. “Upper-level leaders often promise to develop settlements in Dhoma and build a Himalayan city in Tinje, but these commitments are not implemented once they are in government,” Gurung said. “The geography here is conducive to such development, offering immense potential. However, the first step is connecting the road from Dunai to Tinje.”

Gurung emphasized that connecting the road from Lasikap to Shisaul would be a significant step towards building the Himalayan city. He urged the government to prioritize opening the road track, constructing bridges, and developing other essential infrastructure. “Once the road is in place, transporting construction materials will become much easier,” he added.

Additionally, Gurung highlighted the need to extend and upgrade the road from Mustang to Chharka in Upper Dolpa to Dolpo Buddha Rural Municipality, ensuring its reliability and building necessary bridges along the way. “If Tinje becomes a Himalayan city, it will be the first border city in Karnali Province. The people of Upper Dolpa will benefit from improved services and facilities. I hope the government will soon act on this vision by prioritizing road construction,” he concluded.