Tree felling underway for East-West Highway expansion in Koshi [In Pictures]

ITAHARI: Work to expand the Kakarbhitta-Laukahi section (95.76km) of the East-West Highway into a four-lane road as per Asian Highway standards is underway in Koshi Province.

According to the East-West Highway Expansion Project, the project has received permission to cut down more than 6,000 trees along the East-West Highway in Koshi Province. The project is being implemented by dividing the highway into two sections.

Jagat Prajapati, chief of the Western Section of the East-West Highway Expansion Project, told Himal Press that the project has received permission to fell 6,809 trees. According to Prajapati, 5,342 trees need to be felled in Morang, 1,117 in Jhapa, and 122 in Sunsari.

“Trees have to be cut down as we found it unfeasible to uproot large trees and plant them somewhere else. To compensate for the loss, the project has allocated funds to plant ten times more saplings within five years,” he added.

According to Prajapati, the width of the highway will be 24 to 33 meters after expansion. A total of 20 bridges will also have to be built, he added.

The total cost of the project is $362.47 million. The Asian Development Bank is financing $300 million, while the remaining amount will be contributed by the government.