Mizzima

Myanmar’s State Administration Council (SAC) Minister of Economy and Commerce Aung Naing Oo said that the fighting and unrest in Rakhine State would not have an impact on the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project.

The Minister Aung Naing Oo said these words during his recent India tour.

India External Affairs Ministry, Minister of State R.K. Ranjan Singh said in March that the domestic situation in Myanmar would cause hindrance to the India-sponsored Kaladan project.

Myanmar Minister Aung Naing Oo said that the road connecting Paletwa in Chin State, Myanmar and Zorinpui in Mizoram State, India was under construction.

The road building in the west of Rakhine State was being carried out and he expected it would be completed soon, Myanmar Minister Aung Naing Oo said.

The operation of Sittwe port in Rakhine State would be started with great momentum soon and the trade between Myanmar and India could be done via this port, Minister Aung Naing Oo added.

This Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport project was financed by the Indian government and it includes the Sittwe port expansion project, dredging and widening the waterway in Kaladan River to make it navigable by large vessels and the building of a road from Paletwa in Chin State, Myanmar to Zorinpui in Mizoram State, India.

The Myanmar and India governments signed the agreement for the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport project in 2008 and the construction work started in 2009.

The objective of this project is to give the landlocked northeastern states in India access to the Bay of Bengal through roads in Mizoram State and Chin State via Paletwa and Sittwe port.