National
BP Highway handed over
The BP Highway, which was constructed with the assistance of Japan, has been officially handed over to the Nepal government.The handover ceremony was held at Dhulikhel town in Kavre district on Friday. Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, Minister for Physical Planning and Transport Bimalendra Nidhi, Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Masashi Ogawa, and Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) Nepal, Tsutomu Shimizu, attended the event.
Prime Minister Koirala thanked the government of Japan for constructing the highway. He also said that he would request the Japanese government to improve the blind corners and narrow sections along the single-lane 160 km highway that links Banepa, Sindhuli and Bardibas.
Minister Nidhi said that only small and light vehicles would be allowed to ply the highway to preserve its condition and to minimise the number of road accidents.
Shimizu of Jica Nepal hailed the road as a “milestone” for socio-economic development in the region.
Japanese Ambassador Ogawa termed the highway as a new symbol of Japan-Nepal friendship.
The construction of the highway began in 1995 and it was completed in March this year, with the investment of Rs 21.5 billion.