Development Control Regulations: Towards Effective Enforcement

Bhutan is facing challenges at different levels of urban development process. The trend of urbanization is grossly skewed towards the western regions. The urban centers are ever expanding and the primary concerns faced by the sector are uncontrolled growth of the towns and the need to improve and sustain urban amenities and services. Most of the urban centers do not have properly planned green open spaces, parks or children’s play areas, which are amenities required to improve the living environment of the urban centers. The areas where there are urban plans, the development has deviated from the plan and Development Control Regulations (DCR) is not followed. This paper will focus on the existing urban development situation in Bhutan followed by case studies and way forward for effective implementation of the DCR.