Gelephu shattered of hope for an international airport (Nation)

Phuentsholing, October 09: The government decision to revoke earlier commitment of establishing an international airport in southern Bhutan has panicked most of the residents in the district.

According to the recent cabinet decision, Gelephu town along the border with Dadghari, India, will have a domestic airport for now.

The hope for an international airport was shattered after lack of funding by Indian government, who showed interest earlier but phase out the plan and diverted the fund to construct similar airport in Guwahati and Kokrajhar or Bongaigaon, both in Assam.

Bhutan government hoped that Gelephu airport would serve for Indian market well.

However, the government is mulling over turning Gelephu as Special Economic Zone, yet another dream shared among the southern Bhutanese, who have been denied development facilities since 1990s. Bhutan News Service