Myanmar has approved the overhaul of a circular rail system in its commercial capital, Yangon, in a step towards modernising the city Reuters reported on 3 September.
The US$207-million upgrade to the 48-km (30-mile) system will focus on technological improvements and buying new trains, carriages, engines and coaches, Ba Myint, an official of the Ministry of Rail Transport, told Reuters.
Yangon now has an estimated 6 million people, but as economic reforms start to bear fruit, more cars are clogging its streets and the city's infrastructure and power grid are being tested as migrants pour in, seeking work and a better living. 
The upgrade will be completed by 2021 and is being funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).