The need for city addressing is critical for efficient functioning of Thimphu, owing to its size and ongoing rapid pace of urban development. Addressing system is evidently crucial for navigational purposes but even the most basic service requires locational information for effective and efficient service delivery. The brunt of a poorly designed system is borne by the Government as well as the citizens, which was alarmingly felt during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The challenges of linking people to the services and vice versa took immense effort and resources despite which the facilitation still could not be optimized.

City Addressing System is fundamental to any Thromde and it is specifically relevant for use in today's digital environment where addresses could be readily located for a variety of purposes especially emergency service response.

This is accomplished by adopting efficient means to locate and reference properties, as spatial significance plays a major part in decision-making process and service delivery. In a city addressing system, through a system of logical and standard procedures, properties are assigned addresses that are unique, clear and unambiguous.

Addressing must be carried out in a systematic manner. Absence of proper guidelines and standards lead to confusion, duplication, inefficient and ineffective service delivery. The resulting inconsistencies can have an adverse effect on the expected outcome. This document aims to streamline the scheme and make it consistent throughout the Thromde.

Once the system is established, it will make the city more user-friendly, enhance emergency service delivery, increase municipal revenues and improve management in terms of planning, monitoring, taxation, maintainance and service delivery.

Addresses are determined based on the "street-house" concept. This concept elaborates on the regulations to identify and designate streets on which basis buildings are numbered consequently. The procedure defines the standard naming conventions based on the hierarchy, location and function of the street. Subsequently, buildings are numbered. Based on the topographic conditions and the irregular alignment of roads, the decametric numbering system was adopted in Thimphu. (Decametric numbering: Even and odd numbers are assigned sequentially as in the first two solutions, but based on assigned distances on sections of street. This compromise between the first two solutions offers the dual advantage of simplicity and estimated-distance numbering.)