The Gelephu-Tareythang road is moving closer to construction. A new alignment has shortened the planned route to 12.6 kilometres, while the detailed design is nearing completion and contractors are now being prequalified. Construction is targeted to begin in June next year.
The project has moved into an advanced stage of planning. At the recent Meet the Press, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport said key decisions on the road alignment and bridges have now been settled. The detailed engineering design is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Infrastructure and Transport Minister Chandra Bahadur Gurung said, “We have completed the feasibility studies as of now, and detailed engineering studies are being carried out. The detailed engineering studies are also going very well, and we have reached an advanced stage. We expect to complete this work by the end of this year. And we are anticipating beginning the construction works by mid next year.”
One of the major changes is at the Tareythang end. A new alignment has reduced the overall planned road length from 14.1 to 12.6 kilometres. The four-kilometre, four-lane section from Gelephu to Chhuzanggang remains unchanged.
The project will also include a four-lane bridge of about one kilometre across the Mau Chhu. With the new alignment, the number of bridges has increased from five to six.
At the same time, the government has started preparing for construction. Contractor prequalification is now underway, with the department screening companies based on their technical capacity, finances and experience. Only those that meet the requirements will move on to the main bidding stage.
But before construction begins, land acquisition and compensation must also be completed. The project is expected to affect about 4,670 decimals of private land, including 223 plots and 69 structures across Namkhaling, Chhuzanggang, Umling and Tareythang. The compensation details are being finalised and will be processed after government and World Bank clearance.
For residents, the change would mean more than a shorter route.
“We are very excited to hear about the new road that will connect Gelephu and Tareythang and significantly shorten the distance. If the new road reduces the distance to around 15 kilometres or less, we feel we could even walk to Gelephu. For those travelling by vehicle, it will make the journey much easier and faster. It will also create better opportunities for us to do business and sell our goods in Gelephu,” said Leki Dolma, a resident.
Another resident, Norbu Wangmo said, “Earlier, we used to carry our goods on our backs and travel to Gelephu by boat. Sometimes, we did not even have enough money to pay for the boat. Later, the Gyalsung road benefited us immensely. Now, hearing that a much bigger road is being planned, which could help us reach Gelephu in about 15 minutes, makes us very happy and excited.”
The Gelephu-Tareythang road and bridges form part of the Southern East-West Highway and are supported through the World Bank-funded ACCESS Bhutan Project. The overall allocation for the project is about USD 233 M, or more than Nu 20bn. Construction is expected to continue until December 2030.
Once completed, the corridor will provide a direct link between the Southern East-West Highway and Gelephu Mindfulness City, connecting communities with the city’s airport, railway and dry port.
Passang Dorji & Karma Wangdi, Gelephu
