LHASA - Improvement work finished on Wednesday to the 108-km highway to Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak, in readiness for the Olympic torch relay.

The highway was built from a makeshift road between Xigaze Prefecture and Qomolangma Base Camp. Work began last June, cost 150 million yuan (US$ 21 million). Over 95 percent the road side has been covered by grass.