His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen, accompanied by Their Royal Highnesses Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel and Gyalsey Ugyen Wangchuck, graced the commencement of the construction work of the Gelephu International Airport (GIA).

Their Majesties were joined by over a thousand Desuup and Gyalsup volunteers to offer zhabtog – a tradition of voluntary service that has contributed to the construction of homes, monuments, and infrastructure for communities and the nation over the centuries.

The Prime Minister, senior government and GMC officials, representatives of the Zhung Dratshang, Lams and Trulkus, and members of the Gelephu community attended the ceremony. A prayer ceremony led by the Dorji Lopen was held from daybreak to bless the construction of the airport. Simultaneous prayers were held in all the lhakhangs across the Dzongkhag.

Strategic Importance and Design

Spanning 4 square kilometers across the Paitha River in Sarpang Dzongkhag, the airport will serve as Bhutan's southern gateway and anchor for the Gelephu Mindfulness City. Its key features include:

• A 3,000-meter CAT I Code 4E runway capable of handling Airbus A321 and Boeing 737 aircraft at the onset, and widebody aircraft in the longer term
• Capacity for 1.3 million annual passengers initially, expandable to 5.5 million and beyond as required

A terminal inspired by Bhutan's four forest ecosystems (evergreen oak, cool broadleaf, warm broadleaf, and subtropical)

Engineering Features and Environmental Stewardship

The project balances technical requirements with ecological responsibility:

• A box culvert system maintains the Paitha River's natural flow beneath the runway
• Sustainable features include utilisation of green energy and passive ventilation

Economic Impact and Employment Opportunities

The airport will support regional development through:

• Employment opportunities during construction and operations
• Training programs for Bhutanese workers
• Cargo capacity to support exports

Cultural Integration and Community Benefits

The design incorporates Bhutanese heritage through:

• Traditional craftsmanship in terminal elements
• Landscape zones featuring native flora
• Connections to future Gelephu Mindfulness City developments

Statement from Leadership

“The groundbreaking today for the Gelephu International Airport marks the commencement of construction of the airport, which signifies the beginning of the realisation of His Majesty’s Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC). The airport itself is one of the key components of GMC. It will bring the world to Bhutan and Bhutan to the world. It will be transformative to Bhutan economically and socially. Having worked on the building of Changi Airport and having served as Chairman of Changi Airport, I can testify to the phenomenal impact that an airport can make to a country and its people. The Gelephu International Airport symbolises Bhutan’s readiness to thoughtfully open itself to the world, setting a new standard of meaningful and mindful development.”

Liew Mun Leong, Chief Executive Officer, Gelephu Mindfulness City Authority

Construction Timeline:

• July 2025: Earthworks begin
• June 2026: Main construction starts
• July 2028: Aerodrome certification begins
• March 2029: Passenger terminal building completed
• July 2029: Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) starts
• December 17, 2029: Official inauguration

About Gelephu Mindfulness City

The Gelephu Mindfulness City Special Administrative Region is a visionary initiative of creating a world-class and vibrant economic hub in the southern plains of Bhutan centered around mindfulness, sustainability and innovation. The SAR aims to integrate traditional Bhutanese values, globally accepted legal frameworks, cutting-edge design and technology and harnesses the Kingdom's abundant green power to serve as a global exemplar of holistic development. Please visit www.gmc.bt or contact us at info@gmc.bt and invest@gmc.bt for more information.