New bridge linking Gwa Twsp to Ayeyarwady Region set to open to traffic

By DMG 26 Dec 2022

DMG Newsroom
26 December 2022, Gwa

A new bridge crossing Gwa Creek and connecting Gwa Township with the Magyingu area in Ayeyarwady Region is slated to open to traffic this month, according to businesspeople in Arakan State, who have high hopes for the benefits that the new road link could bring to the area.

U Khin Maung Gyi, one such businessman, said the Gwa Chaung Bridge will not only benefit Arakan State but also some townships in Ayeyarwady Region.

“If the bridge is opened, since the flow of goods will speed up, there is a possibility that goods from Arakan State can be easily exported to the market in Ayeyarwady Region,” he explained. “Commodities in Ayeyarwady Region will be exported to Arakan State. I see that there is a lot of potential for benefits for regional manufacturing industries and wholesalers if they can properly utilise the improved transportation conditions.”

Daw Ma Aye, owner of the Shwe Kyar Arakanese weaving operation, said high-quality handloom fabrics produced in Arakan State will be more widely and efficiently distributed to mainland Myanmar once the bridge is open to traffic.

“It is expected that development of the region will improve more than the current situation. If the people of Gwa Township want to go to Ayeyarwady [Region] and Yangon, they still have to cross the Arakan Yoma mountain range. [After the bridge is opened], people will not have to cross the Arakan Roma mountain range, but just cross the bridge from Gwa to the other side and reach Ayeyarwady Region. Because of better transportation, the flow of goods can be faster.”

A town elder in Gwa said residents of the Magyingu area rely on Gwa town for healthcare and education services. Meanwhile, products sourced from Gwa Township such as coconuts, dried fish and thatch, which are being shipped from Arakan State to Magyingu and beyond, will also see transit times cut considerably.

“The local people of Ayeyarwady Region depend on Gwa town for their health and education,” the town elder said. “Students from Ayeyarwady Region come to school in Gwa town. The bridge is about to open, so all the locals will be better off. If there are many job opportunities for local people and tourism develops, it will be very convenient for the local people.”

Because employment opportunities are scarce in Arakan State, local youths in Gwa Township often leave in search of jobs abroad, a trend that may be curbed if the new bridge can create more economic activity in the region.

The bridge measures 1,320 feet in length and 24 feet in width, and has the capacity to bear 75 tonnes of weight. It has a 3-feet-wide pedestrian walkway on each side.

Construction of the Gwa Chaung Bridge began on November 18, 2019, and the estimated cost of the project, including its approaches, is K2.5 billion. The bridge was built by Special Bridge Group-8 of the Department of Bridge, which is part of the Ministry of Construction.