In pics: Rehabilitation of BP Highway damaged by earthquake completed

KATHMANDU: The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has completed the rehabilitation of the BP Highway and handed it over to the government.

A virtual inauguration ceremony for the completed Project was held on Thursday.

The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Basant Kumar Nembang and attended by the officials of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Department of Roads (DoR), JICA Nepal Office, the consultant Nippon Koei and the contractor Hazama Ando.

Rehabilitation of the Sindhuli road will facilitate smooth traffic flow, which will not only result in having a reliable link between Kathmandu and the Eastern Terai but also cater to the need of the public by creating better mobility, easier accessibility to health facilities and education, better economic socio-cultural activities, JICA said.

Furthermore, one of the major outcomes of the rehabilitation project is the transfer of advanced and effective technology to the Nepalese Counterparts and Engineers, mainly for the slope stabilization of the mountainous roads.

The road was damaged in more than 24 places by a major earthquake on 25 April 2015 as well as a major aftershock on 12 May 2015 in Nepal.

The Sindhuli Road is one of the most important roads in Nepal that links Kathmandu City, the capital of the country, with Eastern Terai Plain.

The construction of the Sindhuli Road, with a total length of 160 km, started with the Japanese grant aid in the 1996 and was completed in March 2015.