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Indo-Burma Kaladan project to start soon |
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Written by Admin
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Saturday, 03 February 2007 |
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Work on the Kaladan multi-modal transport project will get off the ground soon, the Chief Secretary of Mizoram said yesterday.
The announcement comes following a three-day meeting between Myanmar's military representatives and engineers from Mizoram state India, held in the first week of January.
Haukhum Hauzel, the Chief Secretary of Mizorma said that the Kaladan project meant to link Sittwe port in Arakan state via Paletwa port in Chin state to Mizoram by road and inland water, would take off soon.
The Kaladan project including revamping the ports and road construction from Sittwe to Mizoram would cost Rs. 545.85 crores. The government of India would bear the cost of the entire project and it is to be completed in three years.
Between January 13 and 15, high ranking officers from the Light Infantry Battalion No.55 stationed in Tlang Ai village in Chin state, Myanmar and engineers from Mizoram's construction department held a meeting in LawngTlai town located on the Indo-Burma border regarding the reconstruction of the 62-kilometre water way from Paletwa, a small port town of Chin state to Mizoram.
To start with, it was felt that three huge rocks, the main barriers for vessel movement on the waterway need to be demolished by blasting but later they changed the method and are now planning to construct a stepladder-like-dam to increase the speed of the river current, according to source from LawngTlai.
Along Kaladan River up to Mizoram, traders from Myanmar usually use small engine paddle boats mainly in monsoon. When the water level is low in the river, dragging the boat is the only means for pedal controllers and passengers.
At the same time, villagers from Myanmar residing along Kaladan River are subjected to forced labour for construction, according to a villager from Chin state.
Security at the outposts has been beefed up in the areas around Tuidan village in Lawngtlai for the project.
On January 19, Haukhum Hauzel met Prime Minister Manmohan Sigh in New Delhi and discussed the Kaladan project. But the project is still waiting for a nod from the Union cabinet. Source:Khonumthung News
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