An inter-ministerial
team from India is
expected to visit
Myanmar soon to
review the progress of the
Kaladan Multimodal
Transit Transportation
Project. The road and
inland waterways component
of the project are not
progressing at a satisfactory
rate from the Myanmar
side. This may result
in delays and affect the
overall completion schedule
of the project.
The Ministry of Road
Transport and Highways
of India has informed the
Centre that they would be
able to complete the work
on the road segment on
the Indian side from NH-
54 to India-Myanmar border
by the target date of
September 2014. On suggestions
of advancing the
project, the ministry stated
that advancing the completion
date may not be
useful as it may be possible
that Myanmar does not
complete its part of the
work by September 2014.
The inland waterway
component of the project
is being affected as land
acquisition for the port
on Myanmar side was an
issue in view of the presence
of a monastery on
that land. The Myanmar
government has committed
to resolve this issue at
the earliest. The completion
of the port and
inland water component
is expected to be July
2013. The Ministry of
External Affairs has
agreed to coordinate with
all the concerned departments
and ministries on
both sides to expedite the
finalization of the draft
agreement on facilitation
and operationalisation of
the Kaladan project.
The Kaladan Multi -
Modal Transit Transport
project has been envisaged
to facilitate trade between
Mizoram state of India and
Myanmar. The project will
establish connectivity
between Indian Ports on
the eastern seaboard and
Sittwe Port in Myanmar
and then through river
transport and then by road
to Mizoram. This would
include dredging of River
Kaladan from Sittwe in
Burma to Mizoram, construction
of river port at
Paletwa and construction
of highway between Paletwa
and Mizoram. Kaladan
project has been approved
at a total cost of
535.91
crore. The Ministry of
External Affairs is the
nodal agency representing
India for the project.