Road link between Sittway, Maungtaw to benefit local people

December 19, 2017

The Department of Bridges under the Ministry of Construction is building several bridges that will help regional development in Rakhine State.

Following is the interview with Deputy Administrator for Construction and officials visiting in Rakhine State.

U Kyaw Lin, Deputy Minister for Construction

Roads and bridges are being built in order to develop Buthidaung, Yathedaung and Maungtaw regions. First of all, the ministry issued designs and QC (quality control) to construct an 18-foot-wide concrete road conducted by Asia World Co., Ltd under the Union Enterprise for Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement and Development in Rakhine (UEHRD). It is about 50 miles from Ahngu Maw to Maungtaw, and it can promote the development of the region. We are now paving two roads through Yoma. They are Kyauk Pnnu-Zayti Pyin Road and Kyein Chaung-Goat Pi Road. The main thing is that we are in urgent need of paving the motorway from Buthidaung and Maungtaw regions, and from Sittway to Maungtaw. That’s why we are paving the roads, which are about 95 miles long, towards Sittway, Punnagyun, Yathedaung, Buthidaung and Maungtaw, respectively. We are currently building five bridges at the same time. It has been learnt that arrangements are being made to finish the bridges in March. We can drive from Sittway to Maungtaw in March, 2018.

U Ohn Lwin, Director General, Department of Highways

We are conducting to pave two roads among the four roads, and these roads can lead to Mt. May Yu. The first road is Zayti Pyin-Indin-Kyauk Pannu, which are 10 miles and 7 furlongs long. We are using 28 mechanism cars, and going to build 75 bridges on the roads.

The second road is Kyein Chaung-Goat Pi, which is 15 miles long. We will arrange to build another 52 bridges on it. The width of the road is 34 feet. According to the budget allotment, another concrete road, which is 18 feet long, will be built. It can improve the transportation system between the eastern and western parts of Mt. May Yu.

U Khin Thet, Director General, Department of Village Development

Our department is upgrading Buthidaung-Maungtaw Road, which is 46 miles and 5 furlongs long. The concrete road is one mile and 2 furlongs, and the rest of the seven-mile-road is an earthen one. We are trying to pave the road so it can be used during all seasons, because the bridges are still under construction. We are going to build another 49 small bridges so that we can go from one place to another without any difficulty.

U Shaw Lay, Director General, Department of Bridges

Our department is conducting to build five bridges on Ponnagyun-Yathedaung-Buthidaung-Maungyaw roads.

The bridges are scheduled to be completed by 31th March, 2018.—MNA

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar