Angumaw-Maungtaw road to development

February 06, 2018

As part of the UEHRD’s (Union Enterprise for Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement and Development in Rakhine) task force, Asia World Foundation has been handling the upgrading of the Angumaw-Maungtaw road since November 2017.

The following are excerpts of interviews with the project’s officials and local residents on their opinions of what kinds of positive development would the completion of the project bring in.

U Aung Kyaw Zan (Minister for Electricity, Industry and Transportation)

This road used to take 4-5 hours to travel either way but after the upgrade we estimate it will only take an hour for a trip. Of course, this will make it faster for security forces and administration personnel to travel and it will attract more businesses to the area too. I admire Asia World’s system and skills in building concrete roads.

The UEHRD’s task forces have invited a lot of overseas development to the area. The Rakhine State Government will also help the development of the state as much as our budget permits.

U Ye Htut (Deputy Commissioner of Maungtaw District)

Asia World Co. is helping with the basic infrastructure sector for the area and I believe they have the necessary skills and equipment for this. However, they are currently short of sand and gravel, which is in low supply in the area. But they have promised that 50 per cent of the project will be completed before the rains set in.

U Myo Khaing (Asia World Foundation Officer)

Asia World is using its funds for the project. It’s a sort of donation to the area. The road is 49 miles 6 furlong and 18 feet wide and we’re upgrading it to a concrete road. The project is headed by the Union Government, supported by the local government and the UEHRD.

U Nay Lin (Engineer from Asia World Co.)

Asia World Foundation is helping the Union Government by taking on this project. This road used to be a 12 feet wide gravel road and it took cars 4 hours to cross from either end. Our aim is to cover about 20 miles within this year. We’re employing 1,500 workers and 200 pieces of machinery for this. We’re expecting the road to withstand around 30 tons of pressure.

U Maung San Thein (Headmaster)

I believe transportation and infrastructure are important for the development of an area. I have been stationed here for two years and the roads during that time have been very bad.

But now that Asia World is upgrading the road I believe that the area’s education, economic, social and health sectors will get better. They’re using machines we’ve never seen before too.

Daw Khin Oo Shwe (School Teacher)

The new road will be much better for the students and local residents. The old road was hard to access during the rainy season but after the upgrade we won’t have to spend too much time on the road. For that we are grateful to Asia World.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar