Unveiling ambitious 13th Five-Year Plan for Infrastructure

The Prime Minister presented the State of The Nation (SOTN) Report during the Tenth Session of the Third Parliament of Bhutan on friday. The SOTN Report unveiled the 13th Five-Year Plan, outlining a comprehensive set of strategies aimed at achieving “sustainable, safe, inclusive, resilient, and livable human settlements” and “safe, secure, reliable, affordable, and sustainable transportation” within the next decade.

In an effort to transform the nation’s infrastructure and transportation landscape, the SOTN Report proposes several key strategies.

Bhutan aims to achieve integrated, coherent, and planned development with a strong focus on providing essential infrastructure, including roads, water supply, and waste collection and management services.

The report emphasizes the mechanization of construction processes, the promotion of off-site construction methods, and the professionalization of the construction sector through certified builders, specialized firms, and enhanced construction professionals’ competencies. In green and energy-efficient construction, Bhutan commits to promoting green and energy-efficient construction practices while consolidating and upgrading its highway network. The plan calls for the enhancement of public transport, including non-motorized options, as well as the professionalization of the aviation sector. Additionally, Bhutan will promote alternative modes of transport and e-mobility.

The plan includes a push for standardization and regulatory reforms in infrastructure and transportation, and a concerted effort to promote foreign direct investment (FDI), public-private partnerships (PPP), and privatization.

Over the next decade, Bhutan has identified several key objectives. The nation aspires to ensure safe and livable human settlements in all 20 dzongkhags with high-quality infrastructure.

Bhutan aims to reduce travel time on national highways, designate 50 percent of government pool vehicles as electric vehicles (EVs), and upgrade Gelephu domestic airport to an international airport.

The plan seeks to improve the quality of infrastructure and technology adoption within the construction sector.

Crucial policy changes, major investments, and programs identified under the 13th Five-Year Plan include Aviation Policy Revision, Surface Transport Policy, Infrastructure Masterplan and Major Investment Programs.

Bhutan plans to revise its national civil aviation policy and act to facilitate the use of drones and drone industrialization for socio-economic development. A national surface transport policy will be developed to provide guidance for the surface transport sector, including e-mobility.

The plan includes the development of a comprehensive infrastructure masterplan to provide clear direction for infrastructure development in the country, as well as an EV roadmap. These programs involve the development of a national capital region, linked-urban centers, construction of missing links along the southern east-west highway, upgrading critical north-south highways, piloting mass timber construction, and the development of Gelephu international airport.

Infrastructure development initiatives, including the construction of quarantine centers and flood protection works, have been launched to ensure safe and resilient human settlements. In the transportation sector, Bhutan is dedicated to maintaining and upgrading its road network while promoting EV adoption.

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