Workers in the Tibet Autonomous Region, southwest China, started yesterday morning to rebuild a highway linking Lhasa, the regional capital, with the Gyangze Prefecture, to improve the transportation capacity of the road.

The highway, one of China's major infrastructure projects, is 90.11 kilometers long and will cost 250 million Yuan (US$30.12 million) to complete.

The old Lhasa-Gyangze highway, built in the 1950s can no longer meet the needs for the rapid economic growth in Tibet, due to its uneven surface and other poor conditions, according to regional communications officials.

The highway runs through the Nyangqu River valley, known as the "barn of Tibet." Along the road stand many scenic spots and historical sites such as the Zongshan Castle, a former battleground where Tibetan residents fought British troops early last century.

(Eastday.com.cn 06/09/2001)