Construction of India-backed Paletwa-Zorampur road resumes with targeted completion in five years

09 Feb 2023

DMG Newsroom
9 February 2023, Paletwa, Chin State

The Paletwa-Zorampur road, part of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project that was stopped for two years due to regional instability and other factors, has been restarted with five tendering companies, and is slated for completion in five years.

The Paletwa-Zorampur road will span 109 kilometres in length and 27 feet wide, running from Paletwa Township in Chin State to the Indian border. U Lwin Ko Ko Aung, the project manager of Su Htoo San Company, said the road is being constructed by companies that have won the tender.

“Each company that wins the tender has to build 10 kilometres of road. The road is still at the dirt level. Construction companies will build the road step by step. The current construction of the dirt road is to allow vehicles and machinery to travel,” he said.

The tender-winning companies are Su Htoo San, K & DL, Shwe Mann, Future Creator Group Construction and Htet Shine Linn. Construction of the Paletwa-Zorampur road has resumed since December 25, 2022.

Myanmar and India signed a bilateral agreement in 2008 to connect the port and inland water transport terminals in Sittwe and Paletwa to the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram, also linking Sittwe to the port city of Kolkata in “mainland” India. Construction of the Paletwa-Zorampur road first began in 2018.

A local resident said that upon completion of the Paletwa-Zorampur road, the relevant authorities would allow Paletwa residents to open grocery stores and restaurants along the road.

“The locals are very much looking forward to opening groceries and restaurants along the road. I would like the relevant authorities to allow this. Locals are hoping to be able to export vegetables from Chin State to Mizoram,” the Paletwa resident added.

Veteran Arakanese businessman U Khin Maung Gyi said that because products such as legumes, fresh fish and dried fish produced in Arakan State can be exported to India, there will be reciprocal opportunities for India to export goods needed in Arakan State.

“After the construction of this road, the opportunities for the transportation and export of goods will be very good for Arakan State. There is a lot of potential to import goods such as medicine and food from India to Arakan State,” he added.

The US$484 million Kaladan multi-modal project, which is being funded by India, will include two major land and sea routes: a waterway from Sittwe to Paletwa and a road link from Paletwa to Mizoram.