Gelephu Smart City Project

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Gelephu Smart City Project

News: Recently, Bhutan’s King has announced plans to build a massive “international city” in an area of over 1,000  sq. km. on its border with Assam. This project is known as the Gelephu Project.

What is the project?
• The project aims to build an ‘international city’ near the Indian border, covering 1,000 square km. It is  envisioned as an economic corridor connecting South Asia with Southeast Asia via India’s  northeastern states. 
• The project is rooted in the vision and values of Gross National Happiness (GNH), as it aspires to be a  Mindfulness City and envisions setting up of “zero emission” industries.

Role of India:
• India is expected to play a significant role in the development of the Gelephu Mega Project. Indian  government infrastructure and private Indian investment will be key. For example, Indian Railways has  completed the preliminary engineering-cum-traffic survey for the 57-km Kokrajhar-Gelephu rail link,  which will be built with Indian support.

Benefits to India:
• Enhanced Connectivity
• Economic Opportunities: The project aims to attract investments, boost trade, and create jobs, thereby  facilitating the demand for goods and services. This growth in economic activities is anticipated to create  opportunities for the private sector.
• Infrastructure Development: The Indian government has committed to improving and expanding the  major roads leading to Bhutan. They also pledged to connect two or three of Bhutan’s border towns with  railway lines
• Regional integration