Thimphu Structure Plan

From Bhutannica

The Thimphu Structure Plan is the most ambitious undertaking so far to properly plan the growth of Bhutan's capital city. The details of the plan are available at the website of the Ministry of Works and Human Settlements [1]. However, with the drawings being too small to read, full comprehension is not fully possible.

A new plan for the city, called the Thimphu Structure Plan (TSP)[2], was prepared and approved by the Council of Ministers in 2003, and subsequently by the elected Thimphu Municipal Corporation, that is implementing the plan. The TSP was prepared by American architect Christopher Charles Benninger. The plan is expected to cost more than $1 billion upon completion.

The TSP is directed at protecting the fragile ecology of the valley, including its rivers and forests. Considering the rapid growth of automobiles and pressure on the public health infrastructure in the town centre, restrictions on plot coverage and building heights were imposed. Critical to the plan are fifteen Urban Villages created through land pooling, each having its own Village Square with amenities, garden, creche and an express bus link connected by the proposed Urban Corridor (under construction).

Benninger however is also accused of unfairly obtaining contracts without tenders by doing favours for some of the cabinet ministers. A Royal Audit Authority audit memo accusing the contract of 'gross irregularities' and of being in 'gross violation of the government rules on tendering' was issued in 2003. [3]

Dissatisfaction with the designs, the implementation and the lack of transparency in the procurement of works has led to an under swell of criticism as evidenced by the heavy online discussions [4].

Challenges facing the TSP from land owners were and remain considerable.

Traditional planning process focused on top-down processes where the urban planner created the plans. The planner is usually skilled in either surveying, engineering or architecture, bringing to the town planning process ideals based around these disciplines. They typically worked for national or local governments.

However changes to the planning process over past decades have witnessed the metamorphosis of the role of the urban planner in the planning process. More citizens calling for democratic planning processes have played a huge role in allowing the public to make important decisions as part of the planning process. Community organizers and social workers are now very involved in planning from the grassroots level.

In Bhutan, attempts at public consultations and meetings with Stakeholders were held but generally the decision of the government was upheld. The Structure Plan is noteworthy for the veneer of a participatory approach in which there were city wide consultations and grass root meetings with the local land owners but where the dialogue was mostly top-down. This history is like to be exacerbated as landowners begin to assert their rights in newly democratic Bhutan. Unlike many other such plans in the sub-continent, this plan is rapidly being implemented.

The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank are funding the plan. During implementation many problems have cropped up. The levels shown in the topographical maps did not match those on the ground. The "Royal Boulevarde", a 1km length of wide road, that is almost complete now, has resulted in no access to buildings on either side of the boulevard due to the natural gradient. On either side a drop exceeding 1-2m has emerged rendering access to the adjacent plots impossible. The Royal Boulevarde is therefore rapidly becoming a public parking space. The boulevarde gets flooded with the slightest rainfall. The pedestrian 'underpass' below the boulevarde has quickly become a convenient toilet for people living in a city without any public toilets. The grand "Chhubarchu Circle" has now been canceled by the government for reasons not announced.

While at the start the approach to city planning was top-down and dictatorial, the donors of the project, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have since reminded the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement (MOWHS) of the need of the agreement from the landowners and stakeholders before they release the funds. This has made it more difficult for the implementing agency to bully the public in the name of city planning.

The Thimphu Structure Plan was justified on the premise that it would be to everybody's benefit to have a beautiful and well-planned city. To achieve that goal, sacrifices were required of everyone. Areas designated as 'green areas' would not allow any developments within them even if they were private property. Special 'heritage' or 'traditional' sites would similarly face restrictions against development. While the private property owners have had no choice but to follow the rules without exception, it has turned out that the government itself has not fully followed all of the city planning rules. An area in Jungshina designated as a 'green area' and restricted for development, was taken over by the government from the public and then suddenly became the site for the new Supreme Court Complex. The 'green area' above the Royal Boulevarde, designated as a sanctuary for a rare bird has now become the Youth Centre and the Youth Development Fund complex respectively. A 'green area' near the new flyover in Changbangdo has now become a truck parking. This has all contributed to a reduction of credibility of this project.

References

• AG's Advisory Series, Royal Audit Authority, volume = III, 2003, pages = 5-6, Royal Audit Authority, date = 28 February 2004.
• Criticism against City Planner
• Outcry over outsourcing
• Municipal corporation will acquire and pool land to build Thimphu, Kuenselonline January 24 2003
• Editorial: The job, Kuenselonline 24 January 2003
• Editorial: Planning Thimphu town, Kuenselonline, 17 January 2003
• No land pooling says high court, Kuenselonline, 17 January 2003
• Stalemate?, Kuenselonline, 12 February 2003
• City authorities use the genja, Kuenselonline 13 February 2003
• Land acquisition or land pooling, Kuenselonline
• Land pooling issue halts Taba plan, Kuenselonline 13 July 2005
• No More Land Pooling: Farmers, Kuenselonline 29 March, 2007
• The Deadline (humour) , Kuenselonline 15 September 2004
• Municipal corporation awaits final confirmation, Kuenselonline March 29
• Most agree, few resist Thimphu plan, Kuenselonline February 15
• Acquisition of Land, Kuenselonline 1 August 2004
• Editorial: Going wrong?, Kuenselonline 14 February
• Thimphu to go Green, Kuenselonline, 16 May 2005
• Obstacles slows down Thimphu plan, Kuenselonline, 24 December 2004
• Vacant Thrompon post worries Thimphu landowners, Kuenselonline 15 August, 2007
• City bytes: Double “dreaded” lane – 4-stretch solution Kuenselonline, 4 August, 2008
• "Enough is Enough say Thimphu Farmers" Internet discussion
• Occupancy without certificationsKuenselonline, 12 May 2009
• Editorial: The Obvious Thing to do Kuenselonline, 1 June 2009
• The Benninger Controversy Bhutan Observer, 19 June 2009