India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway

The India–Myanmar–Thailand (IMT) trilateral highway is a highway under construction that will connect Moreh, India with Mae Sot, Thailand via Myanmar.^[1]

The road is expected to boost trade and commerce in the ASEAN–India Free Trade Area, as well as with the rest of Southeast Asia. India has also proposed extending the highway to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.^[2] A trial run of passenger vehicles on the IMT Trilateral Highway up to Naypyidaw, the capital of Myanmar, was carried out during November 9–14, 2015 in which Indian vehicles travelled to Myanmar on the Imphal-Mandalay-Bagan-Naypyidaw route and back, with Myanmar vehicles joining the Indian vehicles on the return journey.

In order to let people know about the Highway, a car rally^[3] was flagged off by the governments of the three countries from New Delhi. The rally will travel from New Delhi to Guwahati and will enter Myanmar from Manipur (India) before moving on to Bangkok.^[4]

History

A highway connecting Moreh to Mae Sot via Myanmar was first proposed at a trilateral ministerial meeting on transport linkages in Yangon in April 2002.^[5] The length of the highway is approximately 1,360 km (850 mi).^[6]

The India–Myanmar Friendship Road, officially inaugurated on 13 February 2001, forms part of the trilateral highway. Per the original agreement between India and Myanmar on the Friendship Road project, the Indian government was tasked with widening and repaving the existing roads in the area, while the Myanmar government would upgrade the decrepit single-lane bridges along the route. However, the Myanmar government failed to carry out the upgradation work.^[7] In May 2012, India announced that it would invest US$100 million to repave the existing highway and upgrade all 71 bridges that Myanmar had failed to build.^[8] Myanmar stated that it would upgrade the Yargi-Monywa section and open the existing motorway between Mandalay-Naw Pyi Taw and Yangon. Following the 2015 Myanmar elections, the new government withdrew the country's commitment, and India is expected to upgrade the stretch from Moreh to Monywa. An alternate alignment for the stretch between Mandalay-Naw Pyi Taw and Yangon has also been proposed.^[9] India is currently expected to extend the highway by 120.74 kilometres (75.02 mi) from Kalewa to the village of Yargyi as part of the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway project.^[10][11][12]

The 25.6 km (15.9 mi) long Myawaddy-Thinggan Nyenaung-Kawkareik section of the highway was inaugurated by Thai and Myanmarese officials on 30 August 2015, reducing travel time between Thinggan Nyenaung and Kawkareik from three hours to 45 minutes. On the same day, a foundation stone laying ceremony was held at Myawaddy, Myanmar to mark the beginning of construction of the Myanmar-Thailand Friendship Bridge No.2 that will link Mae Sot, Thailand with Myawaddy.^[13][14][15]

India provided funding for the renovation of 73 bridges along the route in Myanmar that were originally built during World War II.^[16][17] India and Myanmar signed an agreement to speed up construction of the highway on 29 August 2016.^[18][19][20] India began construction of the road and 69 bridges, including approach roads on the Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa section of the highway in Myanmar, in mid-2016,^[21][22] and it is expected to be completed by 2020.^[23][24]

India, Myanmar and Thailand are expected to sign a trilateral agreement to facilitate movement of vehicles among the three countries.^[25]

Route description

The highway's route will be Moreh (India) – Tamu (Myanmar) – Kalewa (Myanmar) – Yagyi (Myanmar) – Monywa (Myanmar) – Mandalay (Myanmar) – Meiktila (Myanmar) – Nay Pyi Taw (Myanmar) – Payagyi (Myanmar) – Theinzayat (Myanmar) – Thaton (Myanmar) – Hpa'an (Myanmar) – Kawkareik (Myanmar) – Myawaddy (Myanmar) – Mae Sot (Thailand).^[26]

The status of various segments of the highway according to India's Ministry of Development of the Northeast Region is shown below ^[27]

There is also talk about introducing a bus service between India and Myanmar. If introduced, the service will ply between Imphal, Manipur, and Mandalay.

References