ADB said in a statement that at least 95 kilometres (km) of the road from Kakarbhitta to Laukahi will be improved from a two-lane to a four-lane dual carriageway. Climate- and disaster-resilient design elements such as higher thermal-resistant pavements and bridges with severe flood-proofing criteria will be included in the roads.
“The project road runs along the East-West Highway, which is part of the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation corridor,” said Sin Wai Chong, ADB’s Transport Specialist for South Asia.
Better infrastructure, increased connectivity, and safe road networks will stimulate border trade and logistics and improve the lives of rural populations when combined with other regional cooperation efforts under the SASEC framework.
ADB will contribute an additional USD 750,000 in technical assistance grants from its Technical Assistance Special Fund to create user manuals on long-term performance-based maintenance, guidelines for road projects on climate change mitigation and adaptation, and bid documents.
According to ADB, it is committed to eradicating extreme poverty while continuing its efforts to create a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific.
