Asom govt pursuing reopening of Stilwell Road to Myanmar, China

Guwahati, July 11 (UNI) Asom Industry and Commerce minister Pradyut Bordoloi today informed the state Assembly that the state government has been pursuing the Centre to reopen the age old Stilwell Road connecting Myanmar and China with the North East.

Replying to a Zero hour motion of BJP member Mission Ranjan Das, he said the road was not only commercially important for the region but much before Major Joseph Stilwell constructed it to supply provisions to China during World War II, the road was a link for trade and cultural exchanges between the tribes of the region and their counterparts in China and Myanmar.

Mr Bordoloi said about five rounds of talks between India, Myanmar and China had already been held on the issue, in which he and former minister Pradip Hazarika had attended such meetings in China and Myanmar.

The minister said while China has developed the section of the Stilwell Road falling there into a multi-lane highway and even reduced the length to Kungmin by about 300 kms, Myanmar has also developed a part of it into a highway. In India, a small part of the road has been developed into NH-153, he added.

However, to reopen the historic road, the three countries will have to reach an agreement, he said. Mr Bordoloi admitted that reopening of the road could boost commercial activities in the region as from Ledo to Kungmin through Myanmar was now only about 1300 kms although some part of the road still remained in difficult terrain.

Earlier, Mr Das pointed out that the reopening of the Nathu la pass for trade activities with China had provided an opportunity to the state to pursue reopening of the Stilwell Road.

The road was opened in October, 1945 by the elite forces to connect China and India through land. About 20,000 people had died while constructing the road.

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