Nepal: South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation Mugling-Pokhara Highway Improvement Phase 1 Project | Accountability Console
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Nepal: South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation Mugling-Pokhara Highway Improvement Phase 1 Project

Sectors

Infrastructure

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Projects in this Sector: 550

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Issues Raised

Community health and safety

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Projects with this Issue Raised: 336

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Pollution

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Projects with this Issue Raised: 219

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Project Information

Investment ID: 52097-002

Bank: Asian Development Bank

Environmental Category: B

Country: Nepal

Region: South Asia

Approval Date: Oct. 29, 2019

Investment Types: Loans, Other

Total Project Cost: USD 254.5 million

Total Complaints: 1

Description

The project road is the primary access link of Pokhara to Kathmandu and is a major feeder road of two SASEC corridors linking Kathmandu to Dhaka (Bangladesh) and Kolkata (India) through Mugling and the East-West Highway. It is a two-lane carriageway that handles about 7,400 vehicles per day, including 14% of goods vehicles and up to 55% of motorcycles in urban areas. Traffic is forecast to increase to 13,000 vehicles per day by 2040, and the rising number of motorcycles creates significant road safety risks, notably as (i) the road winds through the mid-hill region of Nepal and its geometry can be improved, (ii) slow-moving vehicles and pedestrians are not segregated in urban areas, and (iii) the pavement is in poor condition. The road will be widened to four lanes to cater to increasing demand, and design standards will feature enhanced geometry, pavement, structure, drainage, safety, and intelligent traffic system features to improve sustainability, safety awareness, and safety compliance.