A 1,000-bed workers’ dormitory is being developed in Gelephu as authorities prepare for a sharp increase in the number of construction workers needed to build the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC).
The Gelephu Mindfulness City Authority (GMCA) expects the construction workforce to swell to between 7,000 and 10,000 at the height of development, as work advances on major infrastructure and other projects across the city.
The proposed dormitory, spread across a three-acre site below the planned 256-unit housing project, is intended to provide organised accommodation for a portion of this workforce. Work on a sample unit is already underway to demonstrate the design and standards that will be followed for the larger facility.
The project will be developed in two phases, each providing accommodation for 500 workers. The first 500 beds are expected to be ready by mid-2027, while completion of the entire 1,000-bed facility is targeted for early 2028.
The accommodation requirement is expected to become increasingly important as construction activity accelerates in GMC. Projects involving the airport, roads, bridges and spiritual infrastructure are among those expected to generate substantial demand for workers over the coming years.
Governor Dasho Dr Lotay Tshering said the dormitory is intended to establish a clear benchmark for worker accommodation in Gelephu. The project is also expected to demonstrate a model through which the government and private sector can collaborate to meet the city’s infrastructure and social requirements.
Buildings within the dormitory complex will be limited to a maximum of four storeys. According to GMCA, the design has been planned to keep construction economically viable while maintaining appropriate fire-safety standards.
Rather than being developed entirely through public financing, the dormitory will follow a Design–Build–Finance–Operate–Transfer model. Under the arrangement, a private partner will finance and construct the project and subsequently operate the facility. GMCA will provide the land and supporting infrastructure while retaining responsibility for regulating and monitoring its performance.
Once the dormitory becomes operational, its management and living conditions will be assessed against prescribed standards and compared with international best practices for worker accommodation.
The project forms part of a broader effort to ensure that the rapid physical development of GMC is accompanied by adequate facilities for the workforce building it.
With several thousand workers potentially arriving in Gelephu during the busiest stages of construction, demand for accommodation is expected to rise considerably. The 1,000-bed dormitory, together with the proposed 256-unit housing development, is expected to absorb part of that demand while providing workers with safer and more structured living arrangements.
For GMC, the challenge will extend beyond constructing the city’s landmark projects to creating the supporting infrastructure required for the people who will build them.
