Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City opened a pedestrian immigration terminal at its India crossing on Thursday, Oct. 22, adding facial-recognition gates as the neighbors pursue planned rail connections.
Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), a special administrative region in Bhutan, has described the facility as part of infrastructure for the city’s development. The crossing is for pedestrians, and the gates compare travelers’ faces with biometric records registered in advance. Bhutanese and Indian nationals with registered biometrics qualify for automated processing. Travelers without registered biometrics must use staffed counters, Bhutan Broadcasting Service reported.
GMC Governor Dasho Dr Lotay Tshering said the terminal would help officials monitor movement across the border. He said it would aid in “maintaining records of cross-border movements and strengthening security.” BBS reported that GMC plans to introduce a nominal service fee for entry and exit. Its report did not specify the amount or start date. The automated option is tied to biometric registration, while the planned charge would cover both directions of travel.
BBS said the terminal is intended to handle growing movement between Gelephu and India. The two countries also have plans for rail connections across the border. A memorandum signed Sept. 29, 2025, covers a 69-kilometer line from Kokrajhar in Assam to Gelephu and a 20-kilometer line from Banarhat in West Bengal to Samtse. India’s Ministry of External Affairs estimates the combined cost at ₹4,033.34 crore.
