By Zin Lin Myint,
Transport, one of the primary systems of infrastructures, plays one of the most essential parts, thereby helping to improve any country, any town or any village. The world nations are making an effort in the search for new flight routes and new navigation routes in a synchronous manner. Myanmar is also engaged in upgrading transport facilities such as motor roads while it is trying to build expressways. Yangon-Pathein-Nga Yoke Kaung will be the new expressway among the said projects.
“Feasibility study on the proposed new Yangon-Pathein-Nga Yoke Kaung expressway is now in the process with the grant assistance of KOICA of the Republic of Korea,” said U Myint Oo, Chief Engineer of Roads Department under the Ministry of Construction.
New Yangon-Pathein-Nga Yoke Kaung expressway is 216 km long, and it is a tarred road with four lanes. This project is under observation since 2018. If completed, new Yangon-Pathein-Nga Yoke Kaung expressway will be able to link with East-West Economic Corridor Highway Development Project being implemented by Japan.
A jetty will appear in Nga Yoke Kaung in Pathein district, Ayeyawady region due to the construction of new Yangon-Pathein-Nga Yoke Kaung expressway. At this exit for the sea, a new route will emerge to link with East-West Economic Corridor Highway Development Project through Thilawa Port of Yangon. The new Yangon-Pathein-Nga Yoke Kaung expressway will be able to be parallel with Kyaukphyu deep seaport, thereby contributing much to Myanmar trade and economy.
The recent meeting via videoconferencing organized by the Roads Department under the Ministry of Construction was held in Nay Pyi Taw, followed by discussions about feasibility study on the new Yangon-Pathein-Nga Yoke Kaung expressway. At the meeting, the latest report was discussed by the officials. Difficult situations are to be dealt with through collaborative efforts. The new Yangon-Pathein-Nga Yoke Kaung expressway is a part of the expansion plan of East-West Economic Corridor Highway Development Project, and it is also a vital road network of Myanmar.
Yangon-Mandalay expressway already exists in Myanmar, and it is 364.6 miles long. The construction of new Yangon-Mandalay expressway was completed in 2010, and it was commissioned into service in 2011. The new Yangon-Mandalay expressway has now become a major expressway for three cities—Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay. In the past, it took 16 hours to go via the Union Highway and now it takes seven hours to go from Yangon to Mandalay.
Yangon-Mandalay expressway was built section by section. The construction of Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw road section began in October in 2005 and was completed in March in 2009. Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw road section was commissioned into service on 25 March in 2009 and it is 323.2 km long. A total of 40 bridges with no longer than 60 metres were constructed along Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw road section.
The construction of Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay expressway section began in 2007 and was completed on 29 December in 2010. Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay expressway section is 240 km long. A total of 60 bridges with no longer than 60 metres were constructed along Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay expressway section.
Mandalay-Sakarin and Mandalay-Tagundaing road sections began construction in 2010, and the construction was concluded in December in 2011. This road section was commissioned into service on 30 December in 2011, and it is 18.3 km long.
Feasibility study on Yangon-Nga Yoke Kaung expressway project and upgrading project of Yangon-Mandalay expressway project was conducted at the same time. The expressway project includes the major backbone roads of Myanmar, and so efforts are being made to practice the technical assistance of KOICA. Yangon-Nga Yoke Kaung expressway will link Yangon with the coastal regions of Ayeyawady river, contributing much toward the development of socio-economic life of the country, becoming a significant road section for East-West Economic Corridor Highway Development Project.
The distance from zero km to 60 km on Yangon-Mandalay expressway is being implemented as the AC road by spending the ADB loan. All are making every effort to implement Yangon-Pathein-Nag Yoke Kaung expressway. The total length of the asphalt concrete road built across the country from 2016 to 2020 reached 1,902 miles and 7 furlongs, that of the concrete road, 1,045 miles and 3 furlongs and that of the asphalt road, 209 miles and 4 furlongs, according to the Department of Roads under the Ministry of Construction.
Once Yangon-Pathein-Nga Yoke Kaung expressway is completed, it will contribute to the economic development of Myanmar, thereby providing lots of job employments, moreover, helping to become a new landscape not only for Myanmar but also for regional economic development.
Translated by Htut Htut (Twantay), Photo: Ye Htut Tin (NLM)
