After years of waiting for Panbang’s development, the Gelephu Mindfulness City project gives hope to once-sceptical local residents

Lhakpa Quendren

Panbang, Zhemgang—For more than a decade, 70-year-old Leki Chogyal, a resident of Tungademba village in Zhemgang, has been waiting for the development of Panbang township to take off—something he feared may not even materialise. 

When the plans to extend Panbang to Tungademba were announced in 2013, some residents began preparing for progress, investing in construction materials. Others lost parts of their land to an 800-metre bypass. However, the road remains abandoned, without blacktopping since 2022.

“I lost part of my plot to the bypass, but the road has not benefited us,” Leki Chogyal said.

Against this backdrop, the announcement of the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) project, set to expand to Sonamthang in Panbang, has brought a renewed sense of hope to the Kheng region.

Residents like Leki Chogyal are optimistic about the future with the GMC. “A larger city will definitely drive greater economic growth and development,” Leki Chogyal said. “It will undoubtedly benefit future generations.”

The GMC project, which envisions sustainable and organic urban development, could transform the dzongkhag, where poor infrastructure, underdeveloped roads, and human-wildlife conflicts have long impeded growth.

Panbang Thromde Ngotshab Jambay Choedra said that nothing is more significant than the inclusion of Panbang in the larger development project. “Connecting Panbang to Gelephu will spur development here. Residents have already benefited from the land Kidu granted by His Majesty.”

Currently, around 40 households in Panbang live in temporary sheds on Kidu land. The construction moratorium imposed for the Yenlag Thromde development has stalled progress in Panbang. However, development activities have been unable to materialise due to budget constraints.

“We have been paying taxes and utility bills based on Yenlag Thromde rates, despite the lack of development, opportunities, and economic benefits it should provide,” Jambay Choedra said.

Local leaders are encouraging residents to prepare for the GMC project by adopting organic farming practices that align with the city’s vision.

“We grow everything from cereals to fruits and vegetables for self-consumption, despite frequent wildlife damage,” said Phurba Lhamo, Bardo’s Phulabi Tshogpa, 

Rinchen Ngedup, a resident of Panbang, sees the moratorium as an opportunity to plan for future development. “I wanted to build a house, but with construction restricted, I can now align my plans with the upcoming development activities,” he said.

Though the GMC master plan is still under development, Panbang is being touted as a potential high-end ecotourism and resort destination, owing to its natural attractions.

Understanding the future prospects, local government leaders are advising locals to refrain from selling real estate.

Ngangla Gup Rinchen Tshering said that the public has been educated on the benefits associated with the project.

“We have tightened land sale procedures to prevent an influx of wealthy individuals seeking to profit,” he said. “Otherwise, some may be tempted to sell their land due to the current inflated rates, which they may regret later.”

“Land prices have skyrocketed due to the city project, increasing from Nu 25,000 per decimal to Nu 70,000,” said a local resident.

The gup Rinchen Tshering said that while land transactions have decreased significantly, approvals are granted only for cases involving financial hardship. “People are starting to see the value of holding onto their land for the future,” he said.

Panbang Dungkhag, which covers the Lower Kheng region of Phangkhar, Goshing, Bjoka, and Ngangla gewogs, is home to about 10,000 people. The GMC is planned to include Ngangla and parts of Phangkhar gewogs.

Panbang is 171 km from Gelephu. However, the express highway linking Panbang in the east to Lhamoi Dzingkha in the west, as part of the initial development of GMC, will significantly reduce the travel distance between Gelephu and Panbang.

The people of Panbang Dungkhag depend on agricultural farming, such as cardamom, mandarin oranges, areca nut, and vegetables, for cash crops.