Ulan Bator, May 19 (IANS) Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene has ordered the country's Finance Minister Bold Javkhlan to spend at least 420 billion Mongolian Tugriks (147 million US dollars) annually in 2022-2024 to reduce traffic congestion in the capital.

For many years, traffic congestion has been one of the most pressing issues in Ulan Bator, which is home to around half of the country's 3.3 million population, Xinhua reported.

The average speed on roads in Ulan Bator is now 13 km/h, and the average driving speed during peak hours is 8.9 km/h, according to data released by the municipal government of the capital city.

It was estimated that residents of the city spend an average of 2.5 hours a day stuck in traffic.

--IANS int/