GMC, September 18, 2026 – The Gelephu Mindfulness City Authority (GMCA) has awarded the development of a 1,000-bed workers’ dormitory to Phuensum Builders Private Limited and Partners, the first major step in the Authority’s plan to house the workforce building Gelephu Mindfulness City safely and with dignity.
The project follows a Design–Build–Finance–Operate–Transfer model, under which Phuensum Builders Private Limited and Partners will form a Special Purpose Vehicle and be registered with GMCA to design, finance, build and operate the facility. At the end of a 25-year concessionary period, the facility will be handed back to GMCA. The Authority will not invest capital in the project; instead, it will act as regulator and partner, setting performance standards, and providing land and infrastructure to the site.
Construction activity in Gelephu is set to grow sharply as airport, road, bridge and spiritual projects advance. GMCA estimates that 7,000 to 10,000 workers may be needed at peak during each year of major construction, making purpose-built accommodation central to housing that workforce well.
“A city is only as good as the way it treats the people who build it,” said Dasho Dr. Lotay Tshering, Governor of Gelephu Mindfulness City. “This project sets a clear standard for worker accommodation in Gelephu and shows how GMCA and the private sector can deliver public goals together.”
The dormitory will rise to a maximum of four-storeys (ground plus three), a design chosen for cost efficiency and fire safety. It will be delivered in two phases of 500 beds each, with the first phase targeted for mid-2027 and full capacity by the beginning of 2028. Once operational, the facility will be monitored against performance indicators covering cleanliness, bed availability, utilities and resident satisfaction, benchmarked against international best practices for worker housing.