Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project: Difference between revisions

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This project will reduce the distance from [[Kolkata]] to [[Sittwe]] by approximately {{convert|1328|km|abbr=on}} and will reduce the need to transport goods through the narrow [[Siliguri]] corridor, also known as [[Chicken's Neck (India)|Chicken's Neck]].

Initially India had tried to persuade [[Bangladesh]] to offer transport and transit rights to the northeastern states.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Egreteau |first=Renaud |date=2011 |title=A Passage to Burma? India, Development and Democratization in Myanmar |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13569775.2011.619771|journal=Contemporary Politics|volume=17|issue=4|doi=10.1080/13569775.2011.619771 |pages=467–486 |s2cid=153496597|url-access=subscription }}</ref> However, [[Bangladesh]] has consistently refused to grant such rights, including access to its [[Chittagong]] port, which is less than {{convert|200|km|abbr=on}} away from [[Agartala]], the capital of [[Tripura]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Phukan|first=Papori|title=Kaladan Multi-Modal Project In Myanmar|url=http://manipuronline.com/look-east-policy/kaladan-multi-modal-project-in-myanmar/2010/12/19|access-date=11 August 2012|newspaper=Manipur Online|archive-date=16 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616121801/http://manipuronline.com/look-east-policy/kaladan-multi-modal-project-in-myanmar/2010/12/19|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The project is being piloted and funded by the [[Ministry of External Affairs (India)]]. The preliminary feasibility studies were carried out by [[RITES|Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES)]]. Construction work on [[Sittwe]] port and the boat jetty in [[Paletwa]], as well as the dredging work, will be executed by the [[Inland Waterways Authority of India]] (IWAI), with Essar Projects Ltd, a division of the [[Essar Group]] appointed in May 2010 as the main contractor.<ref>{{cite web |work=Arakan Rivers |title=Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project|url=http://www.arakanrivers.net/?page_id=135 |access-date=11 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120529113016/http://www.arakanrivers.net/?page_id=135 |archive-date=29 May 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

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In 2019, India and Myanmar launched [[Operation Sunrise (2019)|Operation Sunrise]], a joint military effort to dismantle insurgent group camps, especially the Arakan Army, threatening the Kaladan Project.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-06-17 |title=Operation Sunrise: India-Myanmar target insurgent groups camp in North East |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/operation-sunrise-india-myanmar-target-insurgent-groups-camp-in-north-east-1550835-2019-06-17 |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref>

India plans to open the Kaladan project by 2027.<ref> [https://myanmar-now.org/mm/news/65443/ ၂၀၂၇ တွင် အသက်ဝင်မည့် အိန္ဒိယ၏ ကုလားတန်စီမံကိန်းနှင့် AA ၏ အခန်းကဏ္ဍ (The role of Arakan Army in the implementation of India's 2027 Kaladan plan)]. [[Myanmar Now]]. July 24, 2025.</ref>

==Route==

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* '''Kolkata-Sittwe shipping route - {{convert|539|km|abbr=on}}''' from seaport of [[Kolkata]] in India to [[Sittwe]] seaport in [[Myanmar]] via [[Bay of Bengal]]. This sea route has been operational for several decades. Port upgrade, from 20,000 ton vessels to 40,000 ton capacity vessels, has been '''completed.'''

* '''Sittwe seaport to Paletwa inland jettyriver boat route - {{convert|158|km|abbr=on}}'''' from [[Sittwe]] seaport to Inland Water Terminal (IWT) and hydro power project at [[Paletwa]] jetty via [[Kaladan river]] in [[Myanmar]]. River dredging and jetty upgrade completed in June 2017.<ref name=biz1/><ref name=mand3>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmtimes.com/news/india-ramps-myanmar-ties-gain-foothold-asean.html|title=India ramps up Myanmar ties to gain foothold in ASEAN|date=15 May 2018|website=The Myanmar Times|access-date=30 May 2018|archive-date=16 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516112626/https://www.mmtimes.com/news/india-ramps-myanmar-ties-gain-foothold-asean.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> There is at least one [[Lock (water navigation)|river lock]] for navigation.<ref name=lock1>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20181127193824/http://stsfor.org/content/indias-infrastructure-development-projects-myanmar-game-changer-region-part-2-3 India's connectivity to Myanmar]}}.</ref> Six barges of 300 ton capacity each were handed over to Myanmar by the government of India.<ref name=ton1>[https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/cabinet-clears-revised-cost-for-kaladan-multi-modal-transit-transport-project-115101400905_1.html Delay in Kaladan project], ''Business Standard'', 2018.</ref> '''Completed.'''<ref name=update2/> <br>Sittwe Special Economic Zone at Ponnagyun town {{convert|60|km|mi}} north from Sittwe upstream of [[Kaladan River]] at Ponnagyun town is being built by India on 1000 acres.<ref name=sez1/><ref name=biz1/>

* '''Paletwa inland jetty to Zorinpui road route in Myanmar - {{convert|108|km|abbr=on}}''' two-lane in each direction (4 lanes total) road route from IWT [[Paletwa]] to [[Zochachhuah|Zochawchhuah]](India)–Zorinpui (Myanmar) at Indo-Myanmar border in [[Myanmar]]. Construction contract of INR1600 crore (16 billion) was awarded to [[Ircon International|Ircon]] in June 2017,<ref name=biz1/><ref name=mand2/> and construction commenced in April 2018,<ref name=mandalay1>[https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/india-myanmar-land-border-crossing-open-sushma-swaraj-imphal-mandalay-bus-service-5305229/ Road to Mandalay] ''Indian Express'', June 2018.</ref> after all the necessary approvals were granted by the Myanmar govt in January 2018.<ref name=mand2>[https://thenortheasttoday.com/archive/mizoram-to-get-connected-with-sittwe-port-in-rakhine-state-of-myanmar-via-1600-cr-road/ Mizoram to get connected with Sittwe port]{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}.</ref> [[Borders of India#India–Myanmar border|Integrated Customs & Immigration Checkpost]] at Zochawchhuah-Zorinpui has been operational since 2017.<ref name=jooats1/>

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* '''Zorinpui to Aizawl road route in India - {{convert|110|km|abbr=on}}''' from Indo-Myanmar border at Zorinpui to Aizawl. From Aizawl it connect to Aizawl-Saiha National Highway at [[Lawngtlai]] in [[Mizoram]], India by road on [[National Highway 54 (India)]] (NH-54), which then continues further to [[Dabaka]] in [[Assam]] via {{convert|850|km|abbr=on}} long NH-54 which in turn is part of the larger [[North–South and East–West Corridor#East-West Corridor|East–West Corridor]] connecting [[North East India]] with the rest of India.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.arakanrivers.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Kaladan-Mov.png |title=Multi-modal route map |access-date=12 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822053547/http://www.arakanrivers.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Kaladan-Mov.png |archive-date=22 August 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=biz1>[http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/india-awards-road-contract-to-complete-kaladan-project-in-myanmar/article9723297.ece India awards road contract to complete Kaladan project in Myanmar], ''Business Line'', 9 June 2017.</ref> '''Complete''' as per March 2024 update.<ref name=jooats3/><ref name=jooats1>[https://theprint.in/india/mizoram-mp-meets-myanmar-militants-in-push-to-speed-up-work-on-key-connectivity-project/1985471/ Mizoram MP meets Myanmar militants in push to speed up work on key connectivity project], The Print, 1 Mar 2024.</ref><br> '''Note:''' The {{convert|90|km|abbr=on}} 2-lane route from Indo-Myanmar border at Zochawchhuah-Zorinpui to [[Tuipang]] is complete. From Tuipang, the national highway was further upgraded from 2-lane to all-weather 4-lane from [[National Highway 54 (India)|NH 54]] [[Lawngtlai]] to [[Aizawl]] in [[Mizoram]].<ref name=biz1/> INR6000 crore (60 billion) was approved to further improve this Zochawchhuah–Zorinpui–Aizawl national highway.<ref name=mand2/> Lomasu to [[Lawngtlai]] is a two-lane highway in each direction (total four lanes) and Lawngtlai to [[Aizawl]]–[[Guwahati]] national highway was widened to 4 lanes in each direction (total 8 lanes).<ref name=high1>[https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/myanmar-india-appoint-operator-sittwe-port-project.html India appoints post operator], ''Irrawaddy''</ref>

* '''Shillong-Silchar highway in India - {{convert|166.8|km|abbr=on}}''', from Mawlyngkhung near [[Shillong]] to Panchgram on [[National Highway 6 (India)|NH-6]] near [[Silchar]], will cut travel time between the two cities from 8.5 hours to 5 hours and act as a continuation of Kaladan multi-modal transport project offering a new Rs 22,864 crore high-speed highway between the North-East and Kolkata bypassing Bangladesh, executed by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and expected to be completed by 2030.<ref name=const1>[https://indianexpress.com/article/india/new-north-east-link-to-kolkata-will-be-via-sea-giving-bangladesh-a-miss-10011504/ New Northeast–Kolkata Sea Route Via Myanmar To Take Shape Through Shillong–Silchar Highway, Bypassing Bangladesh: Report], IE, 18 May 2025.</ref>

===Complementary railway route===