Context: The King of Bhutan, has unveiled plans for a Gelephu smart city project, the Gelephu Special Administrative Region (SAR), spanning 1,000 sq km on its border with Assam.

Gelephu Smart City Project: India and Bhutan to Enhance Connectivity

• The project will be part of the Sarpang district Special Economic Zone.
• Gelephu is one of three entry points to Bhutan from India, the others being Samdrup Jongkhar to its east and Phuntsholing to its west. 

About Gelephu Smart City Project 

• Dynamic Economic Corridor: The proposed land connection from Gelephu, traversing Assam and Northeast Indian states, extends to Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore, forming a dynamic economic corridor that bridges South Asia to Southeast Asia
• Aim:  To attract investments, boost trade and create jobs thereby facilitating the demand for goods and services.
• It 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.

India’s 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.

To Read More: India-Bhutan Relations

News Source: The Hindu