2.1.3 The New Image of Gelephu
For a Bhutanese national the region of Gelephu is almost a dream place, because of its flat terrain when compared with the rest of the nation. This might be the reason why many of the people in Bhutan, after retirement and when given a chance to resettle, choose this location for a peaceful and calm life. For an average blue collar worker living in the region, the image of the place is like a place of one’s livelihood. For a trader the image of the town is a booming market place to carry out business. For the youth playing sports on the new play fields, relaxing on the velvet lawns of a place, or strolling in the new retail-entertainment hub is a happy image. For new graduates, a secure, well-paying job in one of the new high-tech industries is a dream come true. For investors the sites with excellent infrastructure are an attractive image. For a farmer the image is of land with all the potentials for intensive water-crop farming activities. For a spiritual person the image of Gelephu is the proposed stupa at Fulahari.
Every individual be it industrialist or economist has an image about Gelephu. Seen from an adverse point of view for a person who knows the history of Gelephu, the image of the place is a setting with tension and unstable conditions. Though this view does not match ground realities, the current situation matters at the time of preparing the plan. One of the goals of the new Gelephu Structure Plan is to “turn the image around!” What could this new image be?
Creating and building a positive image for the town is a crucial and essential part of any development activity not only from an economic point of view but also for prosperity, social and cultural up-liftment. As planners and designers we have the image of Gelephu as a region that has vast potential in the future to develop into an economic power house for the southern part of Bhutan, as well as for the entire nation.
All these images are achievable and all the potential images are to be worked for. All of these must be considered at the time of conceptualizing the future plan for the town. Around each of these images there arise certain principles, guidelines and themes. These are the essence of the planning process. Through consultations with the people of Gelephu and with officials we would arrive at both physical representations of these principles as well as written rules and guidelines. Public consultations will also help us in refining the potentials and the future image of the town of Gelephu. After a review by the Town Committee Members these will be put up to the Royal Government. Throughout this consultative process it must be understood that there are aspects of future development potentials specific to the region, which the government must protect and capitalize on, We as advisors and subjects are participants in that process. To a greater extent we are just articulating existing options, dormant dreams, and current thinking among stake-holders.
As policy makers, executives and professional planners we have to use our skills and sensitivities to design, structure and plan the image and the related themes of the town towards deciding its fate in the future. If we hold these themes to be critical, we must make them central through urban planning and design!
2.2 CENTRAL GATEWAY TO THE KINGDOM
The magnificent international airport at Paro acts as a gateway to the nation for foreign visitors. In Phuntsholing one enters the kingdom through a large royal gate. In a similar manner there must be an impressive entrance into the city through a portal from India.
In fact there must be two entrance points, each with its own gate:
- One for passenger vehicles such as buses and automobiles; and,
- Another for cargo vehicles.
There is also a potential to bring a rail head into the new industrial estate, with a separate passenger spur near the present town.
Passenger Entry and Multi-mode Terminus
The passenger entry would not be a mere gate in the sense of a physical portal, but as a modern transport terminal, designed much like an international airport terminal, with arrival and departure lounges. However, it will be a multi-modal terminal! It will have a Visitor's Center and Rest Area for passenger cars; it will have a bus stand with comfortable buses headed north towards Trongsa, west toward Sarpang and Damphu, and east on the proposed Sibsu-Daipham National Highway. In fact by locating the new regional airport strip parallel to the International Boundary, there can be an interface between the bus passengers, air passengers and taxi passengers. Outsiders arriving by any of these modes can easily change modes and local departing passengers from the region will embark at the same multi-mode terminus. These will avoid confusion, frustration and unnecessary movement on the part of residents and visitors alike.
Four structures (Air Terminus; Bus Terminus; Rail Terminus, Taxi Lounge and Visitors' Center will define an Atrium Garden which will be a pedestrian hall through which passengers can push their luggage trolleys from one area to the other. The Visitors' Center and the Taxi Lounge will serve the passenger cars as well accommodating a commercial cum hospitality hub, with a tourist information center, ATM, cafes, phone kiosks, convenience and souvenir shops, clean toilets and showers, luggage storage, petrol pump with minor repairs shop, transit hotel and rest areas.
The present border crossing point will be modernized into the goods and services portal to central Bhutan. It will have Customs Inspection facilities, Immigration facilities and high technology inspection equipment. Upon entrance there will be a modest Economic Zone where bonded warehouses, small assembly units and manufacturing units will be placed.
There will be a visible Security Post, drivers rest and lodging facilities, cafes, phone kiosks, clean toilets and showers, barber shops, TV Lounges and convenience shopping. This part of the entrance will also act as a Dry Port Entry for Central Bhutan. There will be a diesel and petrol pump here.
There will be a fast lane for on-ward traffic. The exit from this Economic Zone into Bhutan will house Immigration and Customs, a Weighing Station and Vehicle Safety Check Post. Just beyond these formality activities there will be a major Transport Area with spare parts shops, tire repair and sales, welders and mechanics. There will be a major facility for container shipments where containers can be shifted from international flat bedded trucks onto Bhutan carriers for further trans-shipment into the country.
This Entry Zone will be more than just a "pass through" place. It will be a well organized, neat and clean transport center and will serve as a major attraction for industries to invest in the area, as their exports can move directly from the Dry Port to the shipping ports of Dhaka, Kolkata and Haldia Ports for trans-shipment within twenty-four hours of departure. Thus, the Gateway to Central Bhutan not only facilitates the inward movement of tourists, citizens, businessmen and traders, but more important it creates a major Export Channel for products produced in this economic zone. These facilities shall be integrated with the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s new industrial estate.
