Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:41, 8 September 2016

Revision as of 03:34, 19 December 2016

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==Route==

The project has several sections/legs:<ref>[http://www.mdoner.gov.in/content/introduction-1 Multi-modal project introduction]</ref>

* 539 &nbsp;km shipping route from seaport of [[Kolkata]] in [[India]] to [[Sittwe]] seaport in [[Myanmar]] via [[Bay of Bengal]]

* 158 &nbsp;km river boat route from [[Sittwe]] seaport to [[Paletwa]] jetty via [[Kaladan river]] in [[Myanmar]]

* 110 &nbsp;km road route from [[Paletwa]] jetty to Indo-Myanmar border in [[Myanmar]]

* 100 &nbsp;km route from Indo-Myanmar border to [[Lawngtlai]] in [[Mizoram]] in [[India]] by road on [[National Highway 54 (India)]] (NH-54), which then continues further to [[Dabaka]] in [[Assam]] via 850 &nbsp;km long NH-54 which in turn is part of the larger [[North–South_and_East–West_CorridorNorth–South and East–West Corridor#East-West_CorridorWest Corridor|East-West Corridor]] connecting [[North East India]] with the rest of [[India]].<ref> [http://www.arakanrivers.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Kaladan-Mov.png Multi-modal route map]</ref>

==History==

This project will reduce distance from [[Kolkata]] to [[Sittwe]]e by approximately 1328 &nbsp;km and will reduce the need to transport good 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. However, [[Bangladesh]] has consistently refused to grant such rights, including access to its [[Chittagong]] port, which is less than 200&nbsp;km 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|accessdate=11 August 2012|newspaper=Manipur Online}}</ref>

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Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project is at present facing problems such as underestimation of the road length in [[Myanmar]] and plans to construct hydro-electric projects — [[Chimtuipui River]] and [[Lungleng River]] — on two tributaries of the [[Kaladan River]] followed by another project downstream. That the first two projects are being built by one public sector undertaking and the third is being constructed by another PSU (Public Sector Unit) has also led to coordination issues.Due to construction of this hydro electrical projects, Navigation of boats could be effected.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dikshit|first=Sandeep|title=India-Myanmar transport project hits roadblock|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3377718.ece|accessdate=11 August 2012|newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref>

The project includes a waterway component of 158 &nbsp;km on Kaladan river from Sittwe to Paletwa in Myanmar and a road component of 109 &nbsp;km from Paletwa to Zorinpui along the India-Myanmar border in Mizoram.

On 19th19 April 2016 Indian minister [[Vijay Kumar Singh |General VK Singh]] informed that 66% of the new 2-lane-per-direction 12-meter-wide 99.83 &nbsp;km [[National Highway 502 (India)|National Highway 502A]] (NH502A) starting from NH-54 at Lawangtalai to Zorinpui in Mizoram on Indian side is done and will be completed by June 2018. Other aspects of the project including the port, waterways and 109 &nbsp;km Zorinpui on the India-Myanmar border to Paletwa will be completed by April 2019.<ref name=AT1>[http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=apr3016/oth054 Kaladan project to be completed by April 2019, Published: April 2016]</ref> Mr Lalrinngheta, a Project Site Engineer on the India side, also reported the work is ongoing.<ref name=TG1><httphttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/27/india-myanmar-road-mizoram-tribal-areas-modi Title: India’s long highway to Myanmar starts to take shape, Publisher: The Guardian, Published: Sept 2015]</ref> On 21st21 April 2016, [[Chin State]] Chief Minister Pu Lian Luai in Mayanmar also informed that with INR 20 billion funding from Indian government, Mayanmar is building an arterial highway to connect Paletwa in southern Chin state to 645 &nbsp;km away Chikha sub-town in northern Chin state. This Paletwa-Chikha highway will also be connected to the [[National Highway 502 (India)]] at two places on the Indian border, Paletwa to [[Zochachhuah]]<ref name=loc2/> on NH502A in south-west Mizoram and at [[Khenman]] (Mayanmar) to NH502A [[Behiang]] in east Mizoram. New roads will be built to connect the Paletwa-Chikha highway to villages and towns in Chin state.<ref name=Miz1>[http://mizzima.com/news-domestic/construction-chikha-paletwa-highway-priority Construction of Chikha to Paletwa Highway a priority - See more at: http://mizzima.com/news-domestic/construction-chikha-paletwa-highway-priority#sthash.K3tQ6RiS.dpuf, Published: April 2016]</ref>

[[Indian Railway]] has already converted the current 84 &nbsp;km railline from [[Katakhal]] (Assam) to [[Bairabi]] 2 &nbsp;km inside Mizoram. Its further 51.38 &nbsp;km [[Bairabi Sairang Railway]] extension from [[Bairabi]] to [[Sairang]] (20 &nbsp;km north of [[Aizwal]]) in Mizoram is under construction with target completion date of March 2019 as per status update in March 2016. In August 2015, India railway completed a survey for a possible new route extension from Sairang to [[Hmawngbuchhuah]]<ref name=loc1>[https://www.google.com.sg/maps/place/Hmawngbuchhuah,+Mizoram+796891,+India/@22.1253824,92.7494556,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x30b294c8b0f96afd:0x9819f2ba01cd3684!8m2!3d22.1486636!4d92.7711359 Hmawngbuchhuah ___location map]</ref> on Mizoram’s southern tip on the border of Myanmar, where at nearby [[Zochachhuah]]<ref name=loc2>[https://www.google.com.sg/maps/place/Zochawchhuah,+Mizoram+796891,+India/@22.1308892,92.72766,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m8!1m2!2m1!1sZochachhuah,+Mizoram!3m4!1s0x30b294a35a3bdd51:0x494754a5f97f6a23!8m2!3d22.1308147!4d92.7626806 Zochachhuah ___location map]</ref> village the [[National Highway 502 (India)]] (part of ''Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project'') enters Myanmar, leaving a possibility open for yet-unplanned future rail connections to Paletwa.<ref name=IE2>[http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/the-new-northeast-expresses/#sthash.H3U77Y0L.dpuf Massive push to railway infrastructure under way in Northeast]</ref><ref name=IE1>[http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/sanctioned-in-2000-broad-gauge-train-reaches-mizoram-after-16-years/ Sanctioned in 2000, broad-gauge train reaches Mizoram after 16 years]</ref>

==See also==

* [[Mago-Thingbu to Vijaynagar Border Road|Arunachal Border Highway]]

* [[Asian Highway Network]]

* [[Burma–India_relationsBurma–India relations#India-Myanmar-Thailand_Friendship_HighwayThailand Friendship Highway|India-Myanmar-Thailand Friendship Highway]]

* [[East-West Industrial Corridor Highway, Arunachal Pradesh]]

* [[Mekong-Ganga Cooperation]]