To give further shape to the ambitious Rs 536-crore Kaladan Multi-Modal Project, which would connect the North-Eastern state of Mizoram to Sittwé port in Myanmar, thus giving the land-locked region access to sea, the centre has approved construction of a vital 100-Km highway in Mizoram.
A committee of the centre, set up for projects in North-East, headed by Brahm Dutt, secretary of road transport and Highways , sanctioned the construction of the new highway, government sources informed.
The new highway will connect Lawngtalai in southern Mizoram to Myanmar border and will provide linkage to the proposed Kaladan project. It would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 650 crore.
The union ministry for shipping, road transport and highways had earlier sanctioned Rs 120 crore for development of national highways during 2008-09 in Mizoram. The Kaladan project will upgrade the Sittwé port in Myanmar and develop 225 kms of waterways on the Myanmarese river Kaladan so as to make it navigable up to the port. The project will include construction of two roadways in Myanmar which would connect river Kaladan to the Indian border.
The proposed highway on the Indian side will act as a road link from the Indian border to Lawngtalai, the headquarter of the southern district Lawngtalai, in Mizoram. Lawngtalai is connected to other parts of the state and capital city Aizwal via national highway 54. The Kaladan project will be implemented by the Rail India Technical Economic Services (RITES), a public sector organisation.
"At least Rs 500 crore immediate trade should take place with the opening of this route, though a quantum jump is expected to take place later," feels RS Joshi, President of Federation of Industry and Commerce of North-Eastern Region (FINER), the premier trade and industry association of North-East.
The industry of North-East feels that due to its geographical proximity to the project, Mizoram has the potential and prospects of becoming the gateway for trade activities with South-East Asia in future.