On 24 November, 2022, H.E. Marten Van den Berg, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Bhutan and Ms. Leki Wangmo, Acting Secretary, Ministry of Finance signed the Grant Agreement for the project titled “Gelephu Flood Protection”. The estimated cost of the project is Nu. 560 million and it will be funded on a 50-50 percent modality by the Royal Government of Bhutan and Government of Netherlands.

This is the outcome of the “Feasibility Study on Gelephu Flood Protection” project initiated and managed by the Flood Engineering and Management Division, Department of Engineering Services, Ministry of Works and Human Settlements with technical and financial support from the Government of Netherlands in 2019 amounting to Nu. 47.25 million.

Besides 50 percent funding for the infrastructure, the Government of Netherlands will provide Nu. 33 million as Technical Assistance for the project.

Through this project, the following interventions would be implemented:

• Flood and river bank protection by means of a revetment along the infiltration gallery (IG) and Water Treatment Plant (WTP).
• Erosion protection by means of a revetment at the Sershong Primary School along Thewar Stream; the school is situated on a steep cliff, undercut by the Thewar Stream.
• Erosion protection by means of a groyne as flow guiding structure at the bifurcation North of the Jogi Stream.
• Erosion protection by means of a groyne as flow guiding structure close to the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP).
• Erosion and flood protection measures along the Shetikhari Stream by means of a revetment along the meandering parts to avoid further land taken by the stream and prevent damage.

The project will be implemented by Gelephu Thromde and Sarpang Dzongkhag with Technical Assistance from the Ministry of Works and Human Settlements.

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