Trilateral highway to be operational by 2016

NEW DELHI: The proposed ambitious trilateral 3,200km highway connecting India, Myanmar and Thailand is expected to be fully operational by 2016.

India is working closely with Myanmar and Thailand to develop the tri-lateral highway its Union Minister of Commerce, Industry & Textiles Anand Sharma said.

“We are half-way there and am sure that by 2015-2016, this should be fully operational,” he said during a session entitled “The Long-Term View” at the World Economic Forum on East Asia 2013 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

India has already given Myanmar US$500 million in loan, part of which will be used to fund the project.

During the session, Sharma also highlighted the importance of developing high-quality infrastructure. He stressed on the fact that sound infrastructure would help in the creation of a robust economic linkage between India, Myanmar and beyond.

“India is developing Kaladan Multimodal Transit-Transport Project which will connect Mizoram to Sittwe port in Myanmar,” he added.

Mizoram  is one of the seven sister states listed as in Northern Eastern India, sharing borders with the states of Tripura, Assam, Manipur and with the neighboring countries of Bangladesh and Myanmar. - Bernama