Kuwait-funded renovation of main road will help tourists

Kuwait-funded project of renovating a stretch of the main road east of Beirut will help in facilitating traffic flow to and from Mount Lebanon, A Kuwaiti official affirms.The rehabilitation of the road that stretches between the suburb of Al-Hazmiah with the resort town of Sofar, located on the high mountains east of the capital, would help in minimizing traffic congestionS on the main road, said the local representative of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), Nawaf Al-Dabbous, on Friday.Al-Dabous was speaking to KUNA following an inspection tour of the construction sites along the road, accompanied by Nabil Al-Jisr, Board Chairman of the Lebanon's Council of Construction and Development.In addition to facilitating movement of vehicles including trucks, the project will also make movement of tourists much easier, he affirmed, alluding to the main road that stretches from the Lebanese capital to the eastern border point, as well as to the Syrian capital, Damascus. The road passes through main resort and market towns in the mountains, namely Bhamdoun, and Chtaura. The latter is located in the eastern Bekaa valley.Al-Dabous affirmed Kuwait's interest in supporting construction ventures in Lebanon, with the aim of boosting the national economy.Kuwait's participation in the construction and development process in Lebanon emanates from its strong advocacy of the relations of brotherhood ties bounding the two countries, he added.The USD 146 million project aims at renovating two lanes and constructing sidewalks stretching 24 kilometers. At least 11 intersections and several causeways will be also built..KFAED has given Lebanon up to 17 loans since 1966 -- with an overall value of USD 500 million.