Kathmandu: Government of Japan has announced a grant assistance of 2.8 billion yen (approximately Rs 2.6 billion) to support the “Emergency Rehabilitation of Sindhuli Road Affected by Floods.”
According to a press release issued by the Embassy of Japan in Nepal on Thursday, the Exchange of Notes for the grant was signed by Japanese Ambassador Maeda Toru and Finance Ministry Secretary Ghanshyam Upadhyaya in the presence of Finance Minister Rameshore Prasad Khanal and Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal.
The 160-kilometer-long Sindhuli Road, also known as the BP Highway, connects the mid and eastern Terai with Kathmandu. The road was originally constructed with Japanese assistance worth 25.8 billion yen between 1995 and 2015, significantly contributing to Nepal’s connectivity and economic development.
However, continuous heavy rainfall in September 2024 caused severe floods that damaged the highway, washing away more than 10 kilometers of road and disrupting local livelihoods, trade, and transportation.
The new Japanese grant aims to rehabilitate and restore the damaged sections of the highway. The Embassy stated that the Sindhuli Road remains a vital route symbolizing the long-standing friendship and cooperation between Japan and Nepal.