Ju Jianhua, director of Tibet’s Foreign Affairs Department, told The Associated Press that the $20 million project to build a highway on the side of Mount Everest to ease the Beijing 2008 Olympic torch’s journey to its peak has been put on hold. He refused to give a reason or any details saying, “the paved road project is on hold”.
The plan was to turn a 67-mile rough path into a blacktop highway that snaked from the foot of the mountain to a base camp at 17,060 feet.
Zhang Tianhua, deputy director general of Tibet’s Environmental Protection Bureau, said Friday that workers were filling holes in the existing dirt and stone road, and were repairing washed out portions. The new highway was to be a major route for tourists and mountaineers and local officials have praised it as a way to make life easier for residents in the area, reports the Guardian newspaper.
One of the torch relays highlights is to take the Olympic torch to the top of the mountain.
Meanwhile the new Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park built for the 2008 Games was officially opened Saturday.
On August 8 the park will host the 2007 World Rowing Junior Championships and during the Beijing 2008 Games 32 gold medals will be awarded at the venue which will host rowing, canoe-kayak flat-water, canoe-kayak slalom and marathon swimming events.
The venue has a seating capacity of 37,000 with 1,200 permanent seats and 25,800 temporary seats, including standing room for 10,000.
Once the Games are over the venue will be converted into a “world-class” resort for swimming and recreation.
