# Gelephu

Gelephu (Dzongkha: དགེ་ལེགས་ཕུ་; Wylie: dge-legs-phu), also spelled as Gelyephug, Gelegphu, Gaylegphug, or Gaylephug, (IATA: GLU) is a town or Thromde in Sarpang District in Bhutan. It is located on the Indian border, about 30 km to the east of Sarpang, the Dzongkhag (District) headquarters, and has a population of 9,858 as per the 2017 census. It is one of the border market and road entry points into Bhutan from India; Phuntsholing to its west and Samdrup Jongkhar to its east are two other border market road entry points into Bhutan.

## History

The history of Gelephu dates back to the 1960s when the original settlement was moved from the banks of Mo Chhu to the present area, which used to be known as Hati Sahar (elephant place).
On 5 September 2004, insurgents bombed a marketplace in the town, killing two people and injuring twenty-seven others.

## Urban development plans
### Planning area

Gelephu Thromde has 11.52 km$^2$ planning boundary area which can be increased further. It has 6 sub zones (Demkhong) listed as 1. Trashiling, 2. Namkhaling, 3. Jampeling, 4. Rabtengling, 5. Samdrupling, 6. Sonam Gatsel. Core market area is very close to the Indo-Bhutan border. Ashish Kumar Chauhan is also one of the Urban Planner while delineating the boundaries of Industrial Area Plan and Local Area Plan 4 & 5.

### Urban recreational park

One theme of the Gelephu Plan is to develop inter-linked open-green spaces for use as recreation, sports, walking, cycling, exercising and play gardens that can provide an excellent opportunity to promote planned growth of Gelephu unlike many other settlements.

### Gelephu Mindfulness City

In December 2023, during the 116th National Day celebration, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck unveiled a project to establish a Special Administrative Region in Gelephu called the Gelephu Special Administrative Region. The project is developed by BIG, Arup, and Cistri, spans 1,000 square kilometers. Inspired by Bhutanese culture and Gross National Happiness principles, the plan includes an international airport, railways, a hydroelectric dam, and diverse public spaces.

## Trade and commerce

The location of Gelephu is favorable for cross-border trade between India and Bhutan. From that Indo-Bhutan border gate Bongaigaon, the sixth largest city of Ainamssamerging as business node for the economics affairs i.e., business dealing & logistic supports is 78 km away.

## Airport

Gelephu Airport was completed in 2012, after being planned in the early 2000s.
In 2023, it was announced that a new international airport would be built as part of the proposed Gelephu Special Administrative Region. The existing domestic airport will remain operational.

## Services

Construction Development Corporation Limited is a Public Sector Company with 100% shares owned by the Royal Government of Bhutan. After the merger of Gelephu workshop to Hesothangkha in 1996-1997 and till recently, maintenance of its huge workshop structure and compound was neglected and it did not receive that much importance and priority to maintaining operation in the south. The facilities and workshop structure/buildings are currently in a dilapidated condition except for the Lungta Auto Center, which provides comprehensive auto services. After the revival, initiatives have been taken up to repair and rehabilitate the workshop buildings/facilities gradually in a phased manner to curtail loss and avoid the need for a huge investment. It caters to 3 Field Division i.e. Sarpang, Phuentsholing and Zhemgang Field Division. Jurisdiction wise, it covers the far-flung central region of Panbang, Dagana and Zhemgang. Two field workshops located at Sarpang and Mangdechu provide field support services.

## Gelephu Tourism

Gelephu Tshachu
Gelephu Tshachu is a hot spring in the southern plains of Gelephu known for its miraculous healing power and properties, inaugurated by the Third King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck in 1962.
Royal Manas National Park
Nyimalung Dratshang
Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary
Threma Lhakhang
Tali Dratshang

## Climate

Climate data for Gelephu (Bhur), elevation 375 m (1,230 ft), (1996–2017 normals) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 30.0 (86.0) | 35.0 (95.0) | 33.2 (91.8) | 36.4 (97.5) | 37.0 (98.6) | 36.0 (96.8) | 38.5 (101.3) | 38.8 (101.8) | 39.0 (102.2) | 37.0 (98.6) | 35.0 (95.0) | 32.0 (89.6) | 39.0 (102.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 22.3 (72.1) | 24.0 (75.2) | 26.4 (79.5) | 27.6 (81.7) | 28.8 (83.8) | 29.1 (84.4) | 29.5 (85.1) | 30.2 (86.4) | 29.6 (85.3) | 28.7 (83.7) | 26.3 (79.3) | 23.8 (74.8) | 27.2 (80.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 17.8 (64.0) | 19.9 (67.8) | 22.4 (72.3) | 24.2 (75.6) | 25.6 (78.1) | 26.3 (79.3) | 26.7 (80.1) | 27.2 (81.0) | 26.5 (79.7) | 24.9 (76.8) | 22.0 (71.6) | 19.3 (66.7) | 23.6 (74.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 13.2 (55.8) | 15.8 (60.4) | 18.4 (65.1) | 20.7 (69.3) | 22.4 (72.3) | 23.5 (74.3) | 23.9 (75.0) | 24.2 (75.6) | 23.4 (74.1) | 21.1 (70.0) | 17.7 (63.9) | 14.7 (58.5) | 19.9 (67.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 6.0 (42.8) | 8.0 (46.4) | 10.0 (50.0) | 13.0 (55.4) | 15.5 (59.9) | 18.2 (64.8) | 19.0 (66.2) | 19.5 (67.1) | 18.5 (65.3) | 15.0 (59.0) | 10.5 (50.9) | 7.0 (44.6) | 6.0 (42.8) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 16.6 (0.65) | 29.0 (1.14) | 73.6 (2.90) | 237.3 (9.34) | 445.6 (17.54) | 1,032.7 (40.66) | 1,313.7 (51.72) | 1,051.9 (41.41) | 686.2 (27.02) | 192.7 (7.59) | 16.3 (0.64) | 10.0 (0.39) | 5,105.6 (201) |
| Average rainy days | 2.0 | 3.2 | 6.5 | 13.3 | 18.7 | 23.2 | 25.6 | 23.8 | 19.0 | 8.6 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 147.3 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 70.2 | 68.9 | 69.2 | 78.8 | 82.0 | 86.5 | 87.5 | 85.9 | 83.5 | 76.6 | 71.9 | 70.5 | 77.6 |
| Source 1: National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: World Meteorological Organization (rainy days 1996–2018) ||||||||||||||