His Majesty The King and His Holiness the Je Khenpo inaugurated the Gelephu Landmark Water Project on December 23.

The Gelephu Landmark Water Project, which started in April 2022, is the most ambitious of the over 40 nationwide water projects by de-suups as part of DeSuung National Service.

The landmark project in Gelephu, which serves the whole of Gelephu Thromde as well as some other nearby gewogs, was jointly implemented together with the Gelephu Thromde and Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

The exemplary management of the project resulted in it being completed on time within 19 months, and at a cost of Nu 375 million, significantly under the initial budget of Nu 477 million.

Additionally, while all DeSuung National Service water projects made use of cutting edge technology and construction standards, the Gelephu Project stood out even among these. 

The infrastructure includes extensive water mainlines connecting a robust intake structure at the source to sedimentation tanks and a cutting edge water treatment plant, and over 9.7km of distribution lines to reach the community. International experts on filtration technology and plumbing from South Korea and Thailand participated in the project.

Over 230 de-suups contributed their services to the project, which not only establishes a reliable and clean water supply for residents, but also equips participating de-suups with the skills and knowhow to build and manage such systems. 

The DeSuung National Service Projects were initiated upon Royal Command in the midst of the pandemic, as a platform for de-suups to contribute to projects of national importance, as well as gain the knowledge and ability to develop quality infrastructure and facilities for Bhutan.