Myanmar port to link northeast region

Aizawl, Jun 22 (UNI) Centre has decided to build a port at Settwe on the Myanmar coast to give connectivity to the northeastern state of Mizoram.

Official sources here today said that the government would invest 103 million dollars to develop the port which would be an alternative route to the north eastern region.

The project aims to provide direct link to Myanmar and Visakhapatnam through the Kaladan river.

The proposed port would be implemented by RITES and was expected to be completed in three years' time.

Currently, foreign Secretary Shyam Saran was now in Yangon to discuss the matter, the sources added.

Apart from this, Indo-Myanmar border trade is all also set to expand with the opening of a land custom station by the year-end in the border town Zakhawthar in Mizoram at the cost of Rs 5 crores.

The Mizoram government has also worked our various plans in order to curb illegal trade activies in a variety of contraband items flourish on the Indo-Myanmar border.

According to the plan, the state government would be regulating the existing trade through only one gate at the proposed land custom station in the border town Zakhawthar in Mizoram.

A composite checkpost would also be set up at Zakhawthar comprising representatives from Customs, Immigration and Narcotics with local police and NGOs providing protection.

UNI SNR BA SS1107