Asian Development Bank

A loan worth US$1.20billion for the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project has been cancelled by the World Bank (WB). The decision was said to have been taken as the Bank was not satisfied with the actions taken by the Bangladeshi government in regards to corruption allegations involving the bridge contract. A major engineering and construction company is alleged to have made improper payments to Bangladeshi government officials in order to secure the bridge contract. The World Bank loan, signed In April last y

Construction work will commence shortly on a new 220km transnational highway in Vietnam. The first phase of the project is expected to cost US$390 million and in all the road will cost in the region of $500 million. Some $134 million for the project is being supplied in loan form from South Korea, with a $25 million loan from Australia and a $75 million loan from the Asian Development Bank.

A loan from the Philippines-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) will help Sri Lanka rebuild roads damaged by its civil war. The US$154.4 million credit facility will be put toward projects such as repairing or replacing bridges and around 140km of provincial roads that were damaged in the north of Sri Lanka, where the civil war was most intense.

A major loan from Japan will help develop the road transport network in Kazakhstan. The Japanese government will provide a loan to the Republic of Kazakhstan worth US$76 million. The sum will be used to develop the country's road infrastructure and will boost Kazakhstan's access to European and Asian markets. The loan will allow a new bypass to be built on one of the country's main transport arteries in the southern Zhambyl province, as well as the rehabilitation of other existing routes.

Vietnam is seeing significant expansion of its highway network at present, with another three major projects now moving forward and much of the financial backing coming from other Asian nations such as South Korea and Japan. A feasibility study is being carried out for the 94km Nghi Son-Bai Vot expressway and this should be complete by October 2010. The project is expected to cost US$1.04 billion and the expressway will have either six or four lanes, based on Transport Engineering Design's study.

The Indian Government is providing assistance for road construction work in neighbouring Nepal. This assistance is for building the Kulekhani – Kathmandu road section, which will be widened and upgraded with an asphalt surface. The road will be widened to 7.5m and the work is being carried out by Indian Contractor Golden Goods. Meanwhile asphalt surfacing work is has now been completed on Nepal’s Hetauda-Bhimphedi-Kulekhani-Pharphing-Chaimale road Section. Surfacing work is in hand on the remaining 21km sec

Financing worth a total of US$170 million will help fund construction of Mongolia's Western Regional Road Corridor. This will be provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in a series of payments.

The Nepalese government is introducing smart licences and embossed vehicle number plates from the 2012/2013 fiscal year which begins in July, 2012. The new initiative to use a uniform number plate with unique security features will greatly enhance enforcement of vehicle registration compliance and also make it easier to identify and take action on traffic offences

The Nepalese Government is working on plans to build a series of highways that will improve north-south connectivity for this mountainous country.

The Sri Lankan Government is setting out plans to build three elevated highways to reduce traffic congestion in capital Colombo. The highways will be built in the Metropolitan Area and will provide access to the new Southern Expressway, the Outer Circular Highway and the Colombo -Katunayake Expressway under construction.