China's only county without a standard highway — Medog County in the Tibet Autonomous Region — is expected to open to traffic in June this year. This was revealed by Medog County Head Zaxi in an exclusive interview with reporters recently.
Medog County is located in the Nyingchi region of Tibet, where ethnic groups such as the Monba and Lhoba, which are smaller in population, make up over 90% of the county's total residents. Despite the national government having constructed the Medog Highway twice, in the 1970s and 1990s respectively, frequent geological disasters and special climatic conditions have meant that the highway has only been partially open seasonally and in sections, with very limited annual traffic periods. To this day, Medog County remains China's only county without a standard highway and is known as an "isolated plateau island."
The Medog Highway currently under construction commenced on April 20, 2009. It starts at the intersection of National Highway 318 and the old Zhamo-Medog Highway in Zhamu Town, Bomi County, passes through D’erqu, Bonongong, Jinzhu Zangbu, Miri, Madi, and Ximo River, and ends at Lotus Square in Medog County town. The total route length is 117.278 kilometers, with an estimated project investment of 950 million yuan, fully funded by the state.
Currently, the section of highway between the Galongla Tunnel and Medog County town is under intensive construction and is expected to be completed and opened to traffic in June this year.
Medog County Head Zaxi said: "Medog County has a subtropical humid climate, with an altitude drop of several thousand meters, and boasts abundant flora and fauna ranging from alpine frigid zones to tropical rainforests. Among them, there are more than 3,000 species of nationally protected plants and 42 species of nationally protected animals, making it a conservation treasure for both China and the world in terms of biodiversity."
Zaxi said: "The entire route of the Medog Highway is surrounded by primeval forests. Tourists can come to Medog for exploration, leisure, and travel, fully experiencing its mystery and magnificence. After the Medog Highway opens to traffic, we plan to develop eco-cultural tourism as the county’s leading industry, attracting more domestic and international tourists to visit Medog."
"If the road opens smoothly in June this year, we will welcome tourists in August. This year, we plan to receive around 8,000 visitors," Zaxi told reporters. He added that Medog County receives abundant rainfall, with an annual precipitation of up to 2,700 millimeters. Therefore, the best travel season to Medog is from July to November each year.
