By Swe Oo Wai, Translated by Than Tun Aung
The government is striving for ensuring smooth transportation in hilly areas of the country. As priority is being given to the construction of roads and bridges not only for local ethnic people but for their regions, gradual improvement can be seen there. Currently, Chindwin Bridge (Htamanthi) is being built to link the Naga area and the mainland of the country.
Construction Group (2) of the Ministry of Construction is taking responsibilities for building Chindwin Bridge (Htamanthi) in Homalin Township of Hkamti District in upstream Chindwin area of Sagaing Region. Stakes were driven for the building of the bridge on 19 January 2021 to launch the bridge project. The facility will link Htamanthi and Yinma villages in Homalin Township. Upon completion, local people will have easy access to the mainland of the country.
“Thanks to Chindwin Bridge (Htamanthi), local people from the Naga area can drive throughout the route to the mainland of the country by car. The bridge will fulfil the basic requirement of the local people for regional development and transportation,” said U Myo Nyunt, Pyithu Hluttaw representative of Homalin Township at the stake driving ceremony. Local people are pleasure with construction of the bridge.
In fact, Chindwin Bridge (Htamanthi) is bridging the Naga Self-Administered Zone and the mainland of the country. The project was launched with K33,000 million of the Union budget in 2020-21 fiscal year. It is necessary to take more than two years for construction of the bridge which will be 802 metres long and 9.4 metres wide.
At a time when the bridge is completed, goods and products from Naga area can be sent to Monywa, Mandalay and other major cities directly. As transportation will be smooth and swift all the year- round, the bridge will contribute much to improvement of health, economic and social lives of the local people as well as the development of tourism industry of the region.
The areas in Naga upstream of Chindwin River in Sagaing Region were difficult in transport. Moreover, streaming of Chindwin was a great barrier and challenge for the local people. Chindwin River, more than 750 miles long, flows from the north to the south, streaming into Ayeyawady River near Myingyan. Thanks to the bridge, local people will have the opportunities to overcome the challenges in the development of the region due to hindrances caused by Chindwin River.
Indeed, four bridges have been built crossing Chindwin River. They are 2,656 feet long Chindwin Bridge (Hkamti), 2,763 feet long Chindwin Bridge (Homalin), 2,815 feet long Chindwin Bridge (Kalewa) and 4,730 feet long Chindwin Bridge (Monywa). The 2,624 feet long Chindwin Bridge (Htamanthi), which is under construction, is the fifth facility of its kinds.
Really, the bridges built crossing Chindwin River in Sagaing Region help undertake the tourism industry and regional development tasks. As Chindwin River passes through Htamanthi wildlife sanctuary and Hukaung Valley Tiger Sanctuary, if all the bridges have been completed across Chindwin River, various types of tourism industry would have secured improvement with momentum. Chindwin Bridge (Htamanthi) will create smooth transportation facilities for the travellers bound for Htamanthi wildlife sanctuary.
Chindwin Bridge (Htamanthi) under construction is located between Chindwin Bridge (Hkamti) and Chindwin Bridge (Homalin). The facility links milepost 247/5 on Thetkeikyin-Phaungpyin-Homalin-Hkamti road and Htamanthi Town crossing Chindwin River. Upon completion, local people from Homalin will pay a direct visit to Leshi of Naga region via Chindwin Bridge (Htamanthi) by car.
Chindwin Bridge (Htamanthi) will help the improvement of social, economic lives of local ethnic people from Htamanthi area upstream Chindwin River and Leshi in Naga mountain ranges and Somra area on the hilly region. Moreover, those ethnic people will have the chance to make trips to various towns in the mainland of the country by car in any seasons. In addition, when transport facilities improve in Leshi, Hkamti, Lahe and Nanyun areas on Naga mountain ranges, local ethnic people will have the opportunities for enhancement of their living standard.
Chindwin Bridge (Htamanthi) will create links between Naga area of India-Myanmar border and Hkamti, Homalin and Phaungpyin. In the past, local people from Leshi Township of Naga area relied on waterway transportation to pay visits to Monywa and Homalin. They spent nights on their route due to difficulties in transportation. In consequence, they spent their precious time. They faced many hindrances to having transport facilities to be used all the year-round. As such, Chindwin Bridge (Htamanthi) will solve the transport problems of local people soon.
Htamanthi Village where Chindwin Bridge is under construction is 41 miles from Leshi Town. So, the bridge would help smoothen transportation between Lashi and Somra from Naga area sharing a border with India as well as contribute a great deal to the betterment of trade route to India. Consequently, improvement of transportation will enhance not only the border trade route but bilateral trade between Myanmar and India.
Chindwin River called Thallawady River cannot be a hindrance to regional development tasks thanks to bridges crossing on it. As the improvement of the region is part of State development, construction of Chindwin Bridge (Htamanthi) is sure to be a drive not only for the development of Naga mountain ranges but also for the whole country.
