Post on 13-Jan-2016
description
Bhutan’s Status of Transport Connectivity including Transit
Facilitation in South and South-West Asia
Tshering Wangdi Chief Engineer
Department of RoadsMinistry of Works & Human Settlement
Pema WangchenJoint Collector
Department of Revenue & CustomsMinistry of Finance
Royal Government of Bhutan
COUNTRY LOCATION
BHUTAN AT A GLANCE(2013)
Area (sq.km) - 38,394- Dzongkhags /Districts - 20- Geogs (blocks) - 205- Capital - Thimphu- Population (2012) - 7,20,679 - Currency - Ngultrum- National Language - Dzongkha- Per capita GDP - Nu.138,132
(2012)- GDP growth rate - 4.6% (2012)- Forest cover - 72.5%
ROAD TRANSPORT VISION 2020 MILESTONES
Bring 75% of rural population within half-day’s walk from nearest road
Upgrade current national trunk roads to carry30-ton capacity trucks
Complete second transnational highway (Southern E-W Highway)
Construct “dry ports” at Phuentsholing, Gelephu, and Samdrupjongkhar
Introduce domestic air services Improve external air links with full ILS
capacity
ROAD SECTOR MASTER PLAN(2007 – 2027)
Construction of Southern East-West highway (794 km) –Primary National
H/way)
New construction : 506 km
Upgradation : 288 km
Secondary National H/way : 537 km(inter Dzongkhag connectivity)
Dzongkhag Roads : 2654 km
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Road is the principle mode of transport in the country
Construction began in early sixties and the national road network expanded over 10,000km
All twenty districts are connected by road network Road construction in the country is costly and
challenging due to rugged mountainous terrain Air services operate to nine destinations in five
countries: Delhi, Kolkata,Gaya,Guwahati,Bagdogra (all in India)
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM CONTD.
Air services operate to nine destinations in five countries:Delhi,Kolkata,Gaya,Guwahati,Bagdogra (all in India) Dhaka,Katmandu,Bangkok and Singapore.
A private airline has been licensed and commenced operation in 2013
Domestic air services commenced since December 2011
No rail transport, no inland water transport and no dry port
Passenger and freight in land transport fully privatized
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM CONTD.
Motorization has been rapid with the number of vehicles increasing from 13,584 in 1997 to 67,499 in 2012 with an annual increase of about 11%
Overall 100 vehicles for every 1000 population Vehicle model split Trucks/Buses -14% Light vehicles/passenger cars -58% 2Wheelers -14% Taxis -08% Others -06%
HIGHWAY NETWORK
ROAD NETWORK IN KM(June 2013)
Expressway - 6 Primary National Highway - 1860
Secondary National Highway - 578 Dzongkhag Road - 1178 Thromde (Urban) Road - 350 Farm Road - 5376 Access road - 1230
---------------------------Total: 10578 -----------------------------
11th 5 YEAR PLAN PROGRAMMES(July 2013 to June 2018)
Construction of Primary National H/way - 305 km
Upgradation of National Highways - 562 km
Construction of Dzongkhag Road - 122 km
PHUENTSHOLING – THIMPHU HIGHWAY (AH48)
Year of construction -1968 Length (km) -179
Section Length No. of Lanes Class
Phuentsholing-Chukha 82.5 km 2 II
Chukha-Damchu 43.5 km 1 IIIDamchu-Thimphu 53.0 km 2 II
Present traffic volume - 1500-2000 vpd
ASIAN HIGHWAY (AH48) FROM PHUENTSHOLING TO THIMPHU
STATUS:
Phuentsholing to Chukha (82.5km) - completed
Chukha to Damchu Bypass (24 km):
Formation cutting - 98% completeBlacktopping - 44% completeCompletion date - 2015
Damchu toThimphu (53km) - completed
CONSTRUCTION OF SOUTHERN EAST-WEST HIGHWAY (SEWH) - 723 km
Existing - 338 km Missing links - 385 km
Connect economic hubs in southern part of the country and onward connection to India
Link to the Asian Highway Network in the sub-region and beyond
TRANSPORT LOGISTICS - INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIVITY
International Airport (Paro) - 1 No. Domestic Airports - 3 Nos.
(Bumthang, Yonphula, Gelephu) Nearest international sea-port is Kolkata in
India (750 km by road from Phuentsholing) Nearest railway stations from Bhutan:
-Rangia, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar (Assam, India)-Hashimara, Alipurduar, New Jalpaiguri (W.Bengal, India)
ROAD LINKAGE TO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES
Point in BHUTAN Point in INDIAPhuentsholing Jaigaon
Samtse ChamurchiGelephu DadghariSamdrupjongkhar DarrangaNganglam PathsalaGomtu (Pugli) Birpara
AH48 Thimphu-Phuentsholing in Bhutan
AH48 &AH2 (for connectivity with India,Nepal & Bangladesh)
Phuentsholing-Jaigoan-Hashimara-Phulbari-Panitanki-Kakarvita for Bhutan, India & Nepal
Phuentsholing-Jaigoan-Hashimara-Changrabandha-Burimari-Banglabandha for Bhutan, India & Bangladesh
INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIVITY
CORRIDORS IDENTIFIED UNDER SASEC ROAD CONNECTIVITY PROJECT
Nganglam-Dewathang H/way (75km) Pasakha Access Road (2km) Northern bypass in Phuentsholing
(2.7km) Mini Dry Port at Phuentsholing Study for links for regional
connectivity from Gomtu/Pugli to Dalmore/Birpara and Motanga(Bhutan)/Bokajuli(India)
CORRIDORS IDENTIFIED UNDER SAARC REGIONAL MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT STUDY (SRMTS)
Road corridors:1. Thimphu-Phuentsholing-Jaigaon-
Hashimara-Kolkata/Haldia2. Thimphu-Phuentsholing-Jaigaon-
Burimari(Bangladesh)-Mongla/Chittagong3. Samdrup Jongkhar-Guwahati-Shillong-
Shilhet(Bangladesh)-Dhaka-Kolkata4. Thimphu/Paro-Phuentsholing-Hashimara-
Siliguri-Kakarvita (Nepal)
CORRIDORS IDENTIFIED UNDER SAARC REGIONAL MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT STUDY (SRMTS)
Rail corridor:Pasakha-Toribari-Hashimara (India)Feasibility study being carried by
Government of India to connect five border towns in Bhutan from the nearest Indian railheads.
CROSS-BORDER TRAFFIC MOVEMENT
Being landlocked, sub-regional, regional and international connectivity by land transport is possible through India only
Phuentsholing near Jaigaon in West Bengal is the main gateway for international trade (over 82%)
About 55%import and 94% export takes place with India Trade with other countries within the SAARC region is marginal Transport connectivity with Nepal and Bangladesh is possible
through India only Sea port in India (Kolkata and Haldia) are the main Maritime
gateways for international trade with other countries other than Nepal and Bangladesh
KEY CHALLENGES FOR ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE
DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSIT TRANSPORT OPERATION
High construction and maintenance cost due fragile, rugged mountainous terrain and winding roads
Shortage of fund Fledgling construction industry Lack of appropriate construction technology Shortage of trained manpower Transport and transit through India in absence of Inland
container depot Small volume of cargo makes it unfeasible to book railway
wagons or use bigger containers to and from the sea port.
SUB- REGIONAL AND REGIONAL TRADE FACILITATION INITIATIVES
Accession to the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC)
-ADB assistance being sought under ADB funded SASEC Trade Facilitation Program to assess and update Bhutan’s legal and regulatory regime for accession to RKC;
Automated customs management
-Automated Customs Systems (ACS) being replaced by Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS) being developed under ADB funded TA
SAARC Regional Multimodal Transport Study adopted in 2007
South-Asian Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation Program of the ADB completed in 2005 covering 4 countries: India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan
Bay of Bengal Initiative for multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation or BIMSTEC Transport Infrastructure and Logistics Study covering Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Sri-lanka and Thailand.
Bilateral Trade and Transit Agreement
Agreement on Trade and Commerce with India.Allows free trade between the two countries through designated entry and exit pointsTransit of cargo from sea-ports are subject to very minimal checksThere is also free movement Bhutan registered vehicles in India
Agreement on Trade and Commerce with BangladeshInternational trade takes place through 6 entry and exit points from the Indian side and 8 from the Bangladesh side
Agreement on Trade and Commerce with NepalNo formal trade and transit agreement so far.Panitanki near Siliguri in India is designated as the transit route for Bhutan-Nepal trade
Bhutan Customs: Current Status
For Third country Imports- majority of the goods are transported in containerized cargo.
Goods coming from India- are transported in open trucks
Free entry and exit of vehicle to the country within proximity 7-10 KM
Multi-enforcement agencies involved to clear the goods
BHUTAN CUSTOMS: CHALLANGES
Lack of tracking equipments for tracking the movement of good for predictability purpose
Goods transported in open truck rather than in containerized vehicle.
Lack of multi-access bypass from importing country to exporting countries.
Bad road condition. Multi check post on the highways (local
authorities) Timely border coordination meetings
THANK YOU
&
TASHI DELEK