China is to allocate 800 million yuan to build a highway leading
to Meto County of the Tibet Autonomous Region, the only county
without highway in China.
"The move
will end the history of Meto having no access to the outside
world. It is a milestone in China's highway construction,"
said Gyaco, director of the Tibet Regional Communications
Department.
Meto lies on the
southern slopes of the Himalayas. As the county has no access
to other parts of the country, local residents have to transport
goods on horseback. It takes four or five days for a trip
at least to the nearest destination. Many villagers never
leave their hometown.
The local government
poured a huge sum of money and great manpower into building
a highway to Meto in the 1970s. However, the endeavor ran
aground due to difficult geological features, such as landslides,
mudflows and earthquakes.
In drawing up the
10th five-year development plan, the regional government offered
seven routes for the highway and will choose the best one
among them. Preliminary preparations will be done in one year.
Road construction will be completed in five years.
As a state-listed nature reserve, over 80 percent of the land
in Meto County is covered with virgin forest. It is a major
habitat of Bengal tigers, the world's most endangered species.
"Meto is an
ideal place for growing sub-tropical vegetables and fruits.
Mangos planted in our village are as big as the Hami Melon.
But, great amounts of fruit rot in the fields as a result
of a lack of transportation," said the village head Gyaim.
"Though villagers
are now able to see the colorful world on television, they
want to go out and have a look with their own eyes even more,"
he said.
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