Chinese Government provides a $32.5 million grant for the Syaphrubesi-Rasuwagadi Highway Construction Project (Linked to Record ID#53689, #71750)

Project narrative

On December 17, 2007, the Chinese Government committed $32,544,379 in grant funding for the Syaphrubesi-Rasuwagadi Highway Construction Project. This project involved the construction of of a 16 km stretch of road along the Galchhi-Trishuli-Rasuwagadhi Highway that runs from the Tibetan border town of Kyirong (in Rasuwagadi) to Syaphrubesi. Syaphrubesi is connected with Dhunche, the headquarters of Rasuwa district, and Trishuli Bazar, the district headquarters of Nuwakot district, by a motorable road. The highway construction project sought to link Nepal with Tibet's Kyirong, which lies next to Rasuwagadi. It was also expected to shorten the distance between Nepal and Lhasa, the capital of Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. Upon completion, it was expected that this highway would be the shortest road link to China from Nepal. Construction of this road began on December 17, 2007 and it was completed December 26, 2012. The Chinese Government and the Government Nepal signed the letter of transfer and the highway was officially handed over to Nepal. According to the Government of Nepal’s Aid Management Information System (AMIS), only $8,509,453 of the $32,544,379 grant commitment amount was ultimately disbursed (on June 30, 2011).