Authorities step up accommodation, transport and security arrangements as registrations reach 84,000
Gelephu is preparing to receive around 100,000 people for the raising of 108 Jangchub Chortens on November 1, with authorities intensifying preparations for accommodation, religious programmes, traffic management and public safety ahead of what is expected to be one of Bhutan’s largest gatherings.
As of October 8, about 84,000 people have registered to attend the event, with international guests from around 20 countries expected, including spiritual masters, supporters, sponsors and other invited guests expected to arrive.
Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) Governor, Dasho Dr Lotay Tshering said the scale of the gathering will be unprecedented for Bhutan and urged visitors to plan their journeys and accommodation well in advance.
He said people could begin arriving in Gelephu from October 25 or 26, as preparations are underway to accommodate the large influx of visitors.
Hotels, guesthouses and homestays are expected to accommodate some visitors, while temporary campsites with basic facilities, including water, toilets and electricity, are being arranged for others. School halls, classrooms and other available facilities may also be used to provide additional accommodation, while many visitors are expected to stay with their relatives and friends.
Trained teams to construct chortens
The preparations extend beyond accommodation for the construction of the 108 chortens, each expected to stand about 15 metres tall and be raised along the Mao Chhu on November 1.
Tashi Penjor, Managing Director of City Development at the GMC Administration, said a trained team had been prepared to undertake the construction work, including personnel from the armed forces and Desuups.
“It will not be practical or possible for thousands of volunteers to construct all the stupas simultaneously,” he said, explaining the need for a coordinated and trained workforce.
The project is being organised around voluntary participation and a collective religious undertaking. Religious ceremonies will form a central part of the programme, involving lamas, trulkus, rinpoches and other spiritual masters. His Holiness the Je Khenpo is expected to arrive in Gelephu on October 21 to lead prayers and rituals of purification and blessings ahead of the main event.
The GMC Administration is also preparing dedicated spaces for spiritual masters, monks and their attendants. Eight galleries are planned to facilitate religious ceremonies and accommodate those participating in the prayers.
Traffic management a major challenge
While individuals are required to register, there is no need for vehicle registration as such. Authorities expect the numbers to increase as the event approaches.
Colonel Chogyel Drukpa, Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) media focal for the 108 Chortens event has urged visitors to travel together and use carpooling wherever possible to reduce congestion.
Police will begin strict monitoring of vehicle movements from October 20. Portable automatic speed-detection systems, automatic number plate recognition systems and body cameras will be deployed as part of traffic enforcement and public safety measures.
Private vehicle movement within Gelephu will be restricted from November 1 to 4, with private vehicles not permitted to enter the town during the designated period. Around 100 buses and 1,500 taxis have been arranged to transport visitors between designated parking areas and the city.
The Gelephu border gate will also be closed on November 1, with entry restricted to invited guests, Bhutanese nationals and members of the Bhutan-India Friendship Association, according to the event arrangements.
Parking and visitor arrangements
Authorities have identified designated parking areas for visitors arriving from different directions to ease congestion and facilitate onward transport.
Visitors travelling from Sarpang will park at Tashiling, while those arriving from Serzhong will use Pelrithang. Visitors from Umling and Taraythang will park near the nunnery below Norbuling School, from where transport services will be provided.
A designated campsite has also been arranged behind the Gelephu Fishery Farm, with additional parking near the Gelephu sewage plant.
The arrangements are intended to separate incoming traffic from movement within the town and ensure visitors can reach the event area without placing excessive pressure on local roads.
With registrations already approaching the expected attendance, authorities are urging visitors to make early arrangements for travel, accommodation and transport and to follow official instructions.
Meanwhile, outward vehicular movement from Gelephu and Tsirang towards Thimphu will be restricted on 30 and 31 October 2026. The Royal Bhutan Police will activate the toll-free number 108 in the coming days to provide information and assistance related to traffic, security, and public movement. Around three Police Help Desks will also be established to assist the public.
Sherab Dorji, Thimphu
