Original Article by APRSO Thimphu, Bhutan – 14 April 2026 (Image credit: APRSO)

The Bhutan iRAP Star Ratings and Practical Roadside Hazards Workshop commenced today, bringing together government officials to strengthen practical skills in road safety and infrastructure assessment.

The workshop is jointly delivered by the Bhutan Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the View mode: Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP), and the Back to content editing Asia-Pacific Road Safety Observatory (APRSO), with support from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR).

Opening remarks were delivered by Department of Surface Transport Director General Tenzin, and Sonomi Tanaka, ADB Country Director for Bhutan. Participants come from key agencies including the Bhutan Construction and Transport Authority, Department of Surface Transport, and Thimphu Thromde.

The program combines classroom learning, site visits, interactive sessions, and group work, led by international and regional experts. Over the next few days, the Bhutan government officials will learn from international experts, including Phil Jordan from Road Safety International and Jigesh Bhavsar and Luke Rogers from iRAP.

The workshop forms part of the requirements for participants to gain accreditation in the iRAP methodology, enabling them to use Star Ratings to measure the level of safety built into roads based on risk-related factors. Participants have been undertaking online training modules and receiving technical guidance from iRAP engineers since March 2026.

Following the workshop, the APRSO and ADB will work with the Bhutan government to identify priority locations for the installation of crash barriers, as part of ongoing efforts to reduce road traffic fatalities and injuries in the country.

Find out more on training that began earlier this year in Bhutan here