Agency: Phuentsholing Township Development Project (PTDP), one of the country’s largest urban initiatives, is set to reshape the country’s commercial hub with a modern township designed to ease housing shortages, reduce congestion, and protect the town from flooding risks.
Spread over 160 acres of reclaimed riparian land, the project is introducing world-class urban infrastructure guided by smart city principles.
The project was initially envisaged to protect the existing Phuentsholing town from major floods and to ease the demand for development space. In addition, more than 100 acres of private land in the Amochhu area have been made habitable by flood protection works and are being developed under a Local Area Plan by Phuentsholing Thromde. With zones for housing, business, industry, and tourism, supported by reliable infrastructure, the township is expected to make Phuentsholing more livable while reinforcing its role as Bhutan’s main trading and commercial hub.
Residents can expect significant improvements in infrastructure once the project is completed. Around six kilometers of new concrete roads will be developed with landscaping, streetlights, footpaths, tactile flooring, and accessibility ramps. The road network will include an 18-meter-wide primary road and secondary roads measuring 12 meters and 9 meters. These will house essential utilities such as stormwater drainage, electrical lines, telecommunications, and sewerage chambers.
Water and sanitation facilities include a treatment plant with a capacity of 3 million liters per day (MLD), reservoirs, and a complete distribution network, managed through an automated SCADA monitoring system. Wastewater will be handled by a sewage treatment plant using SBR technology with a 6 MLD capacity, which will also treat the existing Thromde’s sewage.
Flood protection works, including erosion-resilient diaphragm walls and reclaimed land raised above flood levels, have been completed. Promenades designed as public spaces double as flood defenses with permeable walkways that allow water to filter through during both normal and flood conditions. Utilities such as power distribution networks, ICT infrastructure, and a flood early warning system are also part of the development.
The project further introduces a solid waste resource recovery facility (SWTY) to replace existing landfill practices. Waste will be segregated, composted, and recycled, with a 30-ton electronic weighbridge installed for record keeping. The facility is designed to serve both the new township and existing Phuentsholing, reducing landfill pressure and promoting sustainable waste management.
