The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decided to send a technical mission to Nepal to conduct a feasibility study of a fast track road in central Nepal, a Nepali government official said Thursday.

"The mission will be arriving in the first week of March and will conduct the technical assistance study that concerns the alignment of Kathmandu-Hetauda fast track road," Madan Gopal Malekhu, joint secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Construction, told reporters.

The ADB's decision to send a mission to Nepal is a welcome news, Malekhu noted, adding, "In fact, this may be the precursor to a time when potential donors or donor countries will come up with the commitment to fund the feasibility study next."

The ADB mission is expected to consider at least three to four road alignments and calculate the exact distance and estimated cost. The study is expected to last from March to December.

The road, which is to be build on Build Operate and Transfer basis, is expected to cost around 15 billion Nepali rupees (214.28 million U.S. dollars), Malekhu said.

Source: Xinhua