The Education City project scrapped!

The government has decided to close down the much talked Education City Project initiated by the former Jigmi Thinley-led government of the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa.

The government decision comes after the National Land Commission said the allotted 1,000 acres of land was acquired illegally. The Council of Ministers were briefed by the project officials before taking the decision.

The minister’s council instructed the project board chairperson Dorji Choden, minister for human settlement, to inform the BEC board of the decision and also ask the BEC to bring the matter to a close with all the parties concerned, which would include the two developers Infinity and ILFS.

The Cabinet expressed concern over the resources already invested in constructing a bridge and approach road from government resources. The government has spent Nu 130 mn so far in building these infrastructure.

the project board consists of the secretaries of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Education, Home Ministry, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labour and Human Resources, Gross National Happiness Commission, Chief District Officer of Thimphu, Druk Holding and Investment Infra CEO, Vice Chancellor of Royal University of Bhutan, Mewang Gup, and the Dogar Gup.

The land was given on lease for 90 years against the legal proviso not maximum 30 years allowed. The project had plans to build huge commercial plans like developing 699 villas and green land.

The DPT government had publicised the project to be the biggest and would attract regional universities to have their campuses in the premises. The project came into controversy from the beginning. The controversy reached its height where news about DPT top guns buying lands around the project.

Read more about Bhutan Education City project here.