Kathmandu, September 5:

Japan has decided to provide a grant assistance of Rs 27.216 million to Nepal for a project

to improve the Kathmandu-Bhaktapur road in Japan’s fiscal year 2007.

Tsutomu Hiraoka, Japanese ambassador to Nepal and Vidhyadhar Mallik, secretary at the ministry of finance today signed and exchanged notes to this regard on behalf of their respective governments.

The grant provided to Nepal is intended to be used to procure the services necessary for a detailed design study of the project, according to Japanese embassy in Kathmandu.

The Detailed Design Study will be carried out to upgrade about 9.1 km of the Kathmandu-Bhaktapur road section of the Araniko Highway by expanding the existing two-lane road to four-lanes.

The Kathmandu-Bhaktapur Road will be designed in such a way that it will serve not only as a road to ensure consistent transportation of goods and people between Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, but also to play an important role linking Kathmandu Valley with the Eastern Terai via the Sindhuli Road, which connects Banepa-Sindhuli-Bardibas.

The Sindhuli Road is now under construction with grant assistance from Japan. It is already benefiting several million people residing along the completed section of the road. Once fully completed, it will benefit greatly the people of the Kathmandu Valley. Together with this, this Kathmandu - Bhaktapur Road section will also improve the connection of the Kathmandu Valley with the North via the Araniko Highway.

It is expected that the Kathmandu-Bhaktapur Road, for which the detailed design study is conducted, will help save time and reduce fuel expenses considerably for road users, who are currently facing very congested traffic situation, especially during rush hours.

The study will take into consideration advanced traffic engineering so as to help protect ordinary citizens from accidents and health hazards.