7 October

CONSTRUCTION work on  a  bridge  linking  the  Ayeyawady  Region  and  Rakhine  State  will  begin  in  November,  according to the Ministry of Con-struction.

The  Chaungwa  Bridge  is  estimated  to  cost  around  K3.6  billion,  and  funds  will  be  allocated  for  its  construction  from  the Ayeyawady Region’s budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, ac-cording  to  the  project  engineer  in-charge, Daw Thin Thin Aung, of  the  Bridge  Special  Group-18  of the Ministry of Construction.

The  bridge  will  be  located  along  the  coast,  on  the  Ngay-okekaung-Gawyingyi   Road,   which  passes  through  Ngaput-aw, Pathein District, Ayeyawady Region  and  links  with  Gwa  in  Rakhine State. The bridge would benefit the transport in the two regions as it would make it easier to reach to Kantharyar and Ngapali  beaches  in  Rakhine  State.  The iron reinforced bridge would be 866 ft long and 24 ft wide, with a  clearance  of  7  metres.  The  bridge would be able to withstand 60 tons of load.

Upon completion, the bridge would speed up the flow of trade between Ayeyawady Region and Rakhine State, and help develop the  socio-economic  conditions,  and the state of health and education  of  the  people  residing  in  the two regions.

Two  more  bridges  —  the  Makyizin  Bridge  and  Pathein  Bridge  No.  2  —  are  under  construction in Pathein District, Ayeyawady Region, in the 2019-2020 fiscal year. Once the Chaungwa bridge is completed, the number of bridges will increase to three.

Rakhine  State  is  uniquely  positioned to support the emergence of economic and industrial zones,  with  its  range  of  pristine  beaches  and  cultural  heritage  sites.

Pwint Thitsar