18 Oct
Over-bridges were built at the key places in the downtown area of Yangon by the government that took office after 8888 uprising.
Among the over-bridges, there is an over-bridge built crossing Bogyoke Aung San Street near University of Nursing in Lanmadaw Township and another in the shape of an rectangle at the junction of Maha Bandoola and Shwedagon Pagoda Streets, the next at the junction of Anawrahta and Shwedagon Pagoda Streets and the last at the junction of Anawrahta and Sule Pagoda Streets.
The demolition of the over-bridge that was built crossing Bogyoke Aung San Street near University of Nursing in Lanmadaw Township is not long ago. The over-bridge crossing Sule Pagoda Street near Anawrahta Street was not the shape of the rectangle like now when the construction was underway. It had only two stairways for descending and ascending. The passengers were crowded because the brick stairway was narrow and so another stairway was constructed. Since then the vehicles were not many and most of the people went on foot. In 2016, the Department of Roads and Bridges under the control of Yangon City Development Committee upgraded to the rectangular shape over-bridge.
But now those who are going on short journey on foot on the key roads and streets of Yangon can be seen moving from dawn till dusk every day. Similarly those who are going on long journey by car can be seen travelling on these roads and streets from the morning to night. The increasing number of travel on foot and vehicles on these roads and streets might cause road accidents almost every day.
For the safety of the passengers and the vehicles, the Department of Roads and Bridges under the YCDC is building one over-bridge after another in the busy places of the passengers and the vehicles.
The Department of Roads and Bridges under the YCDC built a total of 15 over-bridges during two times of the parliamentary terms from 2014 to 2020. There are four over-bridges in Kamayut Township, two in Kyauktada Township, and one each in Mayangon, Mindaladon, Lanmadaw, Latha, Bahan, Thingangyun, Botahtaung, Sangyoung and Dawbon Townships.
Eight out of the fifteen over-bridges are of concrete type stairs and the rest are the modern ones installed with escalators.
Pansodan over-bridge crossing Strand Road in Kyauktada Township was built on 15 April in 2014 and the construction was completed on 12 December in the same year. It has two escalators and two brick stairs. The 67.5 metre long over-bridge was built crossing tarred Strand Road and concrete Strand Road. The construction cost was K594 million in total.
Gamonepwint over-bridge crossing Kaba Aye Pagoda Road in Mayangon Township was built on 15 June in 2014 and the construction was completed on 5 March in 2015. It has two escalators and two brick stairs. The 30.97 metre long over-bridge was built at a cost of K400.127 million.
Aung San Thuriya Hla Thaung over-bridge crossing Pyay Road near Aung San Thuriya Hla Thaung Basic Education High School in Mingaladon Township was built on 3 April in 2014 and the construction was completed on 31 March in 2015. It has two concrete type stairs. The 30.3 metre long over-bridge was built at a cost of K204.385 million.
Lanthitlan over-bridge located at the top of Lanthit Road in Lanmadaw Township was built on 4 October in 2014 and the construction was completed on 31 March in 2015. It was built crossing two Strand Roads apart from Maha Bandoola Street and it has brick stairs. The construction cost of the 101 metre long over-bridge was K675.692 million.
Hledan over-bridge crossing Insein Road in Kamayut Township was built on 30 October in 2014 and the construction was completed on 31 March in 2015. It has ordinary brick stairs. The 25.72 metre long over-bridge was built at a cost of K160.811 million.
Tada Phyu over-bridge crossing Pyay Road in Kamayut Township was built on 1 November in 2015 and the construction was completed on 29 February in 2016. It has ordinary brick stairs. The 26.86 metre long over-bridge was built at a cost of K167.491 million.
Lanmadaw rectangular over-bridge in Latha Township was built at the junction of Anawrahta and Lanmadaw on 1 September in 2015 and the construction was completed on 31 March in 2016. It has ordinary brick stairs. The 83.8 metre long over-bridge was built at a cost of K399.982 million.
Malar Saung over-bridge crossing Pyay Road in Kamayut Township was built on 1 December in 2015 and the construction was completed on 31 March in 2016. It has ordinary brick stairs. The 25.16 metre long over-bridge was built at a cost K122.31 million.
There was Sule over-bridge in Kyauktada Township in the past and it was upgraded into the rectangular over-bridge by Departments of Roads and Bridges under the YCDC on 1 December in 2015. It was built crossing Sule Pagoda Street and Anawrahta Street and the construction was completed in 2016. The 98.9 metre long over-bridge was built at a cost of K324.453 million.
Bahan 3rd street over-bridge crossing Kaba Aye Pagoda Road in Bahan Township was built on 1 September in 2015 and the construction was completed on 3 March in 2016. It has two escalators and two brick stairs. The 26.253 metre long over-bridge was built at a cost of K401.918 million.
The over-bridge crossing Laydaunk Kan Road near Sanpya Market in Thingangyun Township was built on 1 April in 2017. The construction was completed on 31 July in the same year. It has ordinary brick stairs. The 33.53 metre long over-bridge was built at a cost of K189.45 million by Mya Thet Tin Company under the supervision of the YCDC.
Botahtaung over-bridge crossing tarred Strand Road and concrete Strand Road in Botahtaung Township was built on 27 February in 2018. The construction was completed on 6 September in the same year. It has two escalators. The 53 metre long over-bridge was built at a cost of K722.735 million by Mya Thet Tin Company under the supervision of the YCDC.
Mahamyaing over-bridge crossing Pyay Road in Sangyoung Township was built on 27 February in 2018. The construction was completed on 6 September in the same year.
The time of building this over-bridge is the same as that of Botahtaung over-bridge.
The 24.4 metre long over-bridge was built at a cost of K578.675 million by Mya Thet Tin Company under the supervision of the YCDC.
The fourth over-bridge in Kamayut Township is located at the junction of Nanattaw Street and Bayintnaung Street. It was built on 12 March in 2019. The construction was completed on 30 September in the same year. It has three escalators and three brick stairs. The 106.3 metre long over-bridge was built at a cost of K1,969.18 million.
The last one is Yamonna over-bridge in Dawbon Township which was built at the junction of Yamonna and Minnanda Streets. The time of building this over-bridge is the same as that of Nanattaw over-bridge. The construction began on 12 March in 2019 and was completed on 30 September in the same year. It has three escalators and three brick stairs. The 32.61 metre long over-bridge was built at a cost of K999.25 million.
The government spent a large sum of money on the implementation of the over-bridges for ensuring the safety of the people and the vehicles, but most of the travellers are crossing the roads only under the over-bridges ignoring stepping onto the over-bridge and it is inviting the risk of seeing an accident. For that reason, all the on-foot- travellers should cross the roads through the over-bridges in the downtown Yangon.
Translated by Htut Htut (Twantay)
