Thanlwin (Chaungzone) Bridge to begin operation in March

The Thanlwin (Chaungzone) Bridge will assist people crossing from Mon State’s capital city, Mawlamyine, to Bluekyun Island after it’s finished in March, 2017.

U Thein Myint Mon, the director of Bridge Construction Project Group (4), said the above highlighting the group’s estimated time for the completion of the bridge.

“It is estimated that the bridge can be used in this upcoming March. As scheduled, we are now working hard to finish the construction on time,” said U Thein Myint Mon, adding that thus far 67% of the bridge construction is complete and the group is working hard to complete the whole bridge by March, 2017.

Over 59,000 million Kyat has been allocated to the bridge construction project. The allocated finances is comprised of the 2014-2015 fiscal budget (3,700 million), the 2015-2016 budget (20,000 million) and the 2016-2017 budget (31,360 million). Thus far, the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 budgets have been already spent, and the remaining 31,360 million Kyat of the 2016-2017 budget has been allocated to cover the expenses.

“After the bridge is complete, there will be more job opportunities. However, what worries me is that the local handcraft products will disappear when the companies and factories come in,” said Daw May Myat Noe Thu, a resident of Chaungzone Township.

The length of the bridge is 5,203.4 ft, has two lanes and the road’s width is 28 ft. There are also two sidewalks stretching 3 ft-and-3 inches wide.

The Thanlwin (Chaungzone) Bridge project started in February 2015, and the bridge started from Mudoon Ward of Mawlamyine City, formerly known as Moulmein, and connected to Bluekyun’s Ka-nyaur Village.