New roads drawing Tibet cities closer

Construction can help protect region's environment, transport official says

Gyaca county is only about 300 kilometers from Lhasa, Tibet. But a journey between them once took more than a day. The mud road studded with rocks was a big headache - not to mention the road winding around Kamba La Mountain, with cliffs above and below at an altitude of around 5,000 meters.

"It wasn't unusual to see accidents when crossing the mountain. In my worst experience, I spent 13 hours there. Even though I hadn't eaten, I didn't feel hungry at all because I had to concentrate on driving to avoid danger," said Tashi, 39, a Lhasa resident who has been driving for a living since 2005.