Myanmar-RoK cross-river bridge project launched

A Myanmar-RoK cross-river friendship bridge project to link downtown Yangon and Dala, an under-developed small town lying on the southern bank of the Yangon River, has been launched to boost traffic and trade flow and narrow the development gap in western areas of Yangon region, Myanmar News Agency reported on December 25.

The architectural design of RoK-Myanmar Friendship Bridge.
The architectural design of RoK-Myanmar Friendship Bridge.

The ground-breaking ceremony in Dala was attended by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and Senior Economic Adviser of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Kim Hyun-chul on December 24.

The four-lane cable-stayed bridge will be 6,144 feet (1.843 kilometers) long and have a water clearance of 160 feet height with a strength of withstanding 75 tons of load.

Of the cost of US$168 million, US$136 million will come from a loan of the RoK's Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) through the Exim Bank of the RoK, while the remaining US$32 million will be funded by the Myanmar government.

The bridge is designed to provide quicker access between Yangon and its western areas including Dala, Kawhmu and Kungyangon as well as Ayeyawaddy regions and Rakhine state upon completion.

Xinhua