Highway between India to Thailand!
The north-eastern parts of India are likely to see enhanced connectivity and development in the upcoming years with the proposed international highway from Uttar Pradesh to Thailand. The proposed road is referred to as Asian Highway 1, which is supposed to be the first of its kind.
Connectivity
The new land route is proposed to connect India with three other nations, namely- Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, through a trans-border road network. This project will create numerous opportunities in all the bordering states with Myanmar and it provides easy access to people in neighbouring countries of Asean (should write a line about ASEAN).
Within India, the trilateral highway will be connecting different states including UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Manipur and then it will be extended to Myanmar.
India is one of the only two dialogue partners of Asean which shares land and maritime boundaries with the Asean countries. Connectivity within Asean in all three dimensions – physical, institutional and people-to-people – is a strategic priority for India.
Key advantages
The road connectivity between India and Thailand is expected to cut the travel time and cost spent on transportation of goods from the nation to the South-east Asian countries. Once the highway is developed and gets ready to be used, then the cost and time taken for transportation of goods would be reduced by around a third, opine experts.
The trilateral highway between Thailand-India-Myanmar is expected to be a game changer for the northeast region of India and also for the other countries, said Mr. Anil Wadhwa, Indian ambassador to Thailand. He also expressed that the movement of freight through containers along the highway will cut down the time taken for supplies to the northeast and vice versa by a number of days.
A senior government official explained that, as of now, there are three proposals for land connectivity which are also being considered — India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway (this also constitutes the proposed Asian Highway network AH 1 within Myanmar), its extension to Laos and Cambodia and the development of a new highway linking Vietnam.
Expected completion
The trilateral highway project is estimated to be completed and launched by 2016. It is expected to generate large-scale employment and business opportunities as well as people-to-people contacts creating a win-win situation for all three countries.
Initial plan
The route was initially suggested for the proposed Trilateral Highway was Moreh (India)- Tamu- Kalewa-Chaungma- Yinmabin- Pale- Kyadet- Lingadaw- Pakokku- Bagan- Kyaukpadaung- Meiktila bypass- Taungoo- Oktwin- Payagyi- Theinzayat- Thaton- Hpaan Kawareik- Myawaddy- Mae Sot (Thailand). This route is now to pass through Mandalay (Tamu-Kalewa-Yargyi-Chaungma-Monywa-Mandalay) rather than Bagan, given that the Mandalay-Yangon section has already been constructed.
Who will fund the project?
The proposed international highway project will be supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and all the concerned governments. However, the cost of the road that covers over thousands of kilometers in length, has not been calculated yet.
The ministry of roads, transport and highways is now studying the alignment of the proposed highway.
ADB has already been supporting road connectivity from northeast India to Myanmar and it is also planning to fund the 370-km road from Silchar in Assam through Imphal to Moreh in Manipur, which would further be connected to the Trilateral Highway.
The road up to Silchar, as part of the east-west corridor, is being done under the National Highway Development Project. The Silchar-Moreh stretch is likely to be implemented in 2015 and would be completed by 2018.
When the project proposal was initiated?
The proposal for the international highway project was approved in 2002 and the very next year, ministers met in this regard. The trilateral highway was visualized as a highway of opportunity and friendship which would facilitate the movement of people and ideas between these nations, apart from the movement of goods and services.
In September 2012, a meeting of the joint task force was held in New Delhi, during which the participants agreed to try to complete the project by 2016 so as to have seamless connectivity between Moreh in India to Mae Sot in Thailand. The next meeting of the joint task force is planned to be held in Bangkok later this year.
