India backs $56m border road upgrade

The Indian cabinet has approved the building of 69 bridges in Myanmar to upgrade the main road link between the two countries, Indian newspapers reported last week.

The bridges, to be built along a section of the highway linking the border town of Tamu with Kalewa in Sagaing Region, will cost about US$56 million, the Indian Express reported on December 30.

The section of highway also forms part of the route for a proposed bus service linking Imphal in Manipur State with Mandalay, it said.

Myanmar asked India to build 71 bridges along the section of road during a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2012, the daily said.

However, Myanmar has begun work on two of the bridges because they needed urgent attention and India will build the rest, it said.

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The Indian government has said the project was expected to be completed in mid-2019.

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