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Nepal is planning to build the first road leading to the Everest region, local media reported Tuesday.
The road will link Jiri with Surkhe village, a couple of hours of walk from Tenzing-Hillary airport in Lukla at an altitude of 2,860 metres, the Tourism Ministry said.
“The government has earmarked funds for the project, and the construction will begin by this fiscal year,” the Kathmandu Post quoted Purna Chandra Bhattarai, joint secretary of the ministry, as saying.
“The road is expected to facilitate tourism and transportation of cargo,” he said.
There are currently no roads connecting the region to the rest of the country. People and supplies are generally flown in, although a trekking trail does exist.
Flights to the airport are often disrupted by bad weather, stranding hundreds of tourists.
Up to 35,000 tourists visit the region each year.
The 100-kilometre road is also expected to bring down the high cost of living in the region, in addition to being an alternative means of transport.
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