Bhutan’s capital builds its first modern bus stop

Tiny, land-locked Bhutan has announced the opening of its first modern bus stop, on a popular bus route in the capital, Thimphu .

Thimphu, Bhutan. Image by Ratan Sebastian / CC BY 2.0

Elsewhere, this might not be news, but this is the first bus stop in Bhutan with a shelter for passengers and a parking bay for buses. The remote Himalayan nation, which regularly ranks top in the world for national happiness, famously follows a traditional Buddhist way of life, but modernisation is permitted so long as it follows the national ethos. Accordingly, the roof of the bus stop is modelled after a leaf, to reflect Bhutan’s environmental policies, and the canopy is decorated with Buddhist designs by local artists. A further 77 bus stops are planned around the country if the pilot scheme is successful. Read more: kuenselonline.com