March 26: The first-phase of construction of the Asian Highway connecting 32 countries in the continent has started in Nepal.

Under this project, a 120-kilometer four-lane road from Kakarvitta to Laukahi of Sunsari is being constructed in the first phase with the financial support of the Asian Development Bank, the state-owned RSS reported.

The government has handed the responsibility of the construction work to Jain CR F G Tundi Company. The company has started removing trees from Sitapuri of Kamal rural municipality in Jhapa district to Devikhola of Itahari.

Hari Prasad Parajuli, a representative of the construction company, said that around 6,737 trees would be removed along this section. He told RSS that the company has reached an agreement with the government to complete the road construction within three years.

The 120-km-long four-lane roadway falls under a section of the East-West Highway and it connects Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari. It is being constructed at an investment of Rs 28.17 billion from the Asian Development Bank. The highway is to be expanded along with the construction of 71 new bridges, added Parajuli.

The Asian Highway project was initiated by the United Nations in 1959 with the aim of promoting the development of international road transport in the region. During the first phase of the project (1960–1970) considerable progress was achieved, however, progress slowed down when financial assistance was suspended in 1975.

Altogether 32 countries have signed agreements to allow the highway to cross the continent and also reach to Europe. Some of the countries taking part in the highway project are India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Most of the funding comes from the larger, more advanced Asian nations such as China, South Korea and Singapore as well as international agencies such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).