Eastward Ho! The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project Connecting the Northeast via Mizoram

The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Project will provide an alternative route between India’s landlocked Northeast to Southeast Asia. As the name implies it is multi-modal and engages a range of infrastructure from roads, bridges and floating barrages. Once completed it will be a game changer for the Northeast region’s access to ASEAN and Southeast Asia through Myanmar to provide an alternative route between landlocked Northeast and the rest of India as well. It is currently served by the narrow Siliguri corridor.

The Kaladan project starts from West Bengal through the Bay of Bengal to Myanmar’s Sittwe port where it meets the Kaladan river which flows from Myanmar to Mizoram ultimately connecting the Northeast. Several hurdles such as political disturbances, difficulty in acquiring land for the project and the global pandemic of 2020 had caused delays in completing this project.

In the first phase  the main purpose was to connect Sittwe port in Myanmar with Haldia in West Bengal through the Bay of Bengal for floating barges over the Kaladan and to provide connectivity to Paletwa in Mizoram. The next phase is to connect Paletwa to Zorinpui by road at the border where construction is done in two parts. The first stretch of this part is approximately 61 kilometers from Paletwa to Kaletwa including a bridge over Kaladan at Kaletwa and around 43 kilometers  from Kaletwa to Zorinpui. The next stage is development of the 89 kilometer stretch from Zorinpui to Lawngtlai with around eight or nine bridges.  The project involves over twenty-six bridges very similar to the ones built in the India – Myanmar connectivity project.

As per the latest information, on the Indian side the road connectivity between Zorinpui and Lawngtlai is almost completed and the construction of the seaport at Sittwe is completed. Further the dredging of the Kaladan between Sittwe and Paletwa, and construction of a jetty at Paletwa has been completed as well. The last bridges from Lawngtlai to Zorinpui which were initially delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic are now under construction. Furthermore the Zorinpui – Paletwa road which was under construction is due to be made operational by March 2023 as per our sources in the border.

In a recent development, after the success of the Border Haats between Bangladesh and Tripura and Meghalaya, the Centre is keen to boost local trade and livelihood of the people between Mizoram and Myanmar. The Mizoram Government has send a detailed report to the Ministry of External Affairs  to set up Border Haats along the border and identified four locations viz. Hnahlan,  Zote, Vaphai (Saikhumphai) and Sangau (Pangkhua) in Southern Mizoram. With these developments taking place Mizoram will play a very important and centre stage role in India’s connectivity for trade and commerce within the Northeast and with ASEAN and Southeast Asia.            

Shah Md. Farid

Trade & Investment Consultant

Founder- Director, Northeast India- ASEAN Chamber of Commerce

neiaseancc@gmail.com

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