Kakadbhitta: Blacktopping has begun on the Kakadbhitta-Laukahi section of the ‘Asian Highway’, which aims to connect Asian nations through the road network.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Jagat Prajapati, the head of the eastern section office in Itahari, stated that blacktopping of one lane started on Tuesday from the Lakshmi road. Around 23 percent of the work has been completed within 15 months since the signing of the construction agreement. Initially, the plan was to upgrade the 120-km road from Kakadbhitta to Laukahi under Asian Highway Number 2; however, current efforts are focused on 95.76 kilometers.
The target, as shared, is to blacktop at least 10 kilometers within the current fiscal year. Sunil Babu Pant, the head of the eastern section office in Damak, reported that 21 percent of the work in the eastern section has been completed, with a similar goal to blacktop 10 kilometers during the current fiscal year.
At least 50 culverts have been built in the eastern section and 70 in the western section. The highway will be 50 meters wide in market areas, 24 meters in forests, and 33 meters in rural areas. With financial support from the Asian Development Bank, work began in February 2024.