The current bus terminal & The new location

Thromde finalizes plans to relocate bus terminal at Lungtenzampa to Olakha

Thimphu Thromde has finalized its plans to relocate the interstate bus terminal at Lungtenzampa to Simtokha LAP (Local Area Plan), opposite to the Damchen petroleum station in Olakha. This is also being done to start an effective transport system.

Thromde’s Urban Planner, Ugyen Dorji said that a modern transport terminal gateway, designed much like an international air terminal, is being proposed to be built. It will have arrival and departure lounges for the national bus services, regional and local taxis and city buses.

He added, “This gateway would also act as the commercial and entertainment hub of Southern Thimphu housing a shopping center, cafes, cinema and bowling alleys. This gateway to the capital will form the beginning of urban spine or corridor, reaching up to the city core and going to the Tashichho Dzong and further to the northern areas, as per the Thimphu Structure Plan.”

Ugyen Dorji said the Thromde plans to decongest the core town area by restricting the regional traffic on the urban land and facilitate the initiation of an effective transport system. Enough parking facilities for taxi and private vehicles and a transport hub with the various modes of transport and activities are also included in the proposal.

6.48 acres of land opposite to Damchen Petroleum belongs to 26 landowners. During the two consultation meetings held between the Thromde and the landowners on 7  February and 15  February, almost all the landowners have agreed to hand over their land for the Thromde’s plan.

Thromde said, “According to the Land Act, the government may acquire a registered land for public interest. The government may, however, provide substitute land or cash payment or both as compensation and the acquisition of the land shall be in accordance to the procedure on acquisition of registered land.”

According to Thimphu Thromde the landowner shall have the discretion to opt the substitute land or cash compensation offered by the government in case of the land acquired from rural areas. “In case of the land acquired in thromde, the land owner shall be provided cash compensation. If the land to be acquired is the only plot owned by the landowner in the thromde, the government shall consider a substitute land in the same thromde. And if the value of substitute land is inadequate, additional cash compensation shall be provided subject to the value of land.”

“Upon acquisition, if the remaining land parcel is less than 10 decimal, such land both in rural areas and thromde, shall also be acquired,” Ugyen Dorji said.

The present city bus parking located opposite to Changlimithang stadium is to be relocated to the present bus terminal at Lungtenzampa.

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