Thimphu:

Bhutan, considered one of the happiest countries in the world, is working on a mega project, one that has to potential to redefine not just how sustainable living can be achieved, but become a global model unlike any other in the world today. The project – a mega ‘Mindfulness City’ in Gelephu.

Though it is called a city, it is massive – spread over 2,500 square kilometers. It is a Special Administratve Region (SAR). It will have its own government and have the independence to have its own lawmaking, as well as an independent judiciary. But what makes it special?

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The Gelephu ‘Mindfulness City’ will have two protected areas – a national park and a wildlife sanctuary. It will have rivers that will have the potential to generate 4,000 to 5,000 megawatts of electricity through renewable energy. It has forests, biological corridors and is teeming with wildlife. It has its own agricultural hubs and small towns.

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The ‘Mindfulness City’ project has been envisioned by the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. The motivation behind this is to improve the lives of Bhutanese people and take Bhutan to the next level. A place where people can live with harmony with others from all over the world.

People in this city will live with nature and the biodiversity of the region. “This is what we call ‘Gross National Happiness 2.0’,” Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay said recently at the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi.

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Speaking exclusively to NDTV World, the Bhutanese PM had said that the ‘Gelephu mindfulness city’ would “directly benefit India” in many ways since this city has been “purposely placed along the border with India in Assam.”

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‘MINDFULNESS CITY’ – BUT WHY IN GELEPHU?

The land in Gelephu is “beautiful and pristine”, said the Butanese Prime Minister, adding that the region is a biological hot spot, with abundant potential for clean energy, but why this mega project here? he had asked the King, wondering why such a project was not being considered for Thimphu or Paro – where there is ready infrastructure, like airports, highways, etc.

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The King had a one-word reply for the prime minister – “India”. He then explained that “Our future is linked with India. If we chose any other place, then such a project may succeed, it may have its challenges, but if we plan this along the border with India, the concept itself will drive it to success, because Bhutan’s future is intrinsically linked with India,” the prime minister recalled the King having said this.

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Then I finally understood the strategic significance of the project, he said. “The Gelephu Mindfulness City is not about Bhutan – it is about Bhutan and India.

DETAILS ABOUT THE CITY

Once built, Bhutan’s ‘Mindfulness City’ will cover nearly 2.5% of the entire country’s landmass and will be bigger than all of Singapore. A more local comparison will be to Bhutan’s capital city, Thimphu. While Gelephu City will be more than 2,500 square kilometers, capital city Thimphu is just 26 square kilometers.

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The city will be built around a series of inhabitable bridges. It is expected to be a low-rise city which will have its own university, health care facilities for both western and traditional medicine. It will also have several markets and spiritual centres.

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There are also plans to build a hydroelectric power project and a hydroponic greenhouse.

It will be spread over 11 major neighbourhoods which will span across the region’s thirty-five rivers and streams. The city design and planning is done such that neighbourhoods will be like mandalas, with public spaces towards the city centre.

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The city will be entirely based on Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness philosophy which has been praised the world over. At the time of the announcement of the project, the Kingdom of Bhutan had said that “Mindfulness City will be unique as it would not just prioritise economic development, but will focus on personal well-being of every resident.”

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The city will have its own international airport – construction for which has already begin.

The Gelephu ‘Mindfullness City’ rethinks how the cities of the future should be like, how they should function and the ways in which sustainable living can be achieved with an environment-friendly approach.