Tedim Road to be Upgraded Next Year: Union Minister

08 November 2012: The Ministry of Construction said the road in downtown Tedim of Chin State would be improved if Burma’s government grants the budget requested.

U Soe Tint, Deputy Minister for Construction said on Tuesday that the main road in Tedim town is to be upgraded to ‘tarred road’ if the requested budget of 36million kyats is allotted by the Union government.

Kham Suan Mung of Chin State Constituency No. 5 said at Amyotha Hluttaw session in Naypyitaw that a budget was requested from the government for 2013-14 fiscal year to tarmack the road, which is four miles and six furlongs long.

However, the answer given by the Union Minister didn’t ensure whether the government would grant the amount requested for the improvement of road conditions, neglected for decades, in the town of Burma’s poorest state.

“We are pleased to hear that Kham Suan Mung raised a question about the road’s improvement in the Upper House. The whole Chin State has been uncared for so long and we want Thein Sein’s government to keep its promises to the people,” said one community leader from Chin State.

Chin Hluttaw representatives have raised several questions regarding maintenance and construction of roads and bridges across Chin State since last year.

In response to a question asked by Pu Con Kheng of Chin State Constituency No. 1, the Union Minister said 26 suspension bridges and 10 wooden bridges were built in 36 villages in Falam Township from 2003 to 2011, according to the New Light of Myanmar on 21 October 2011.

One of the Chin pastors and leaders from Chin State told Chinland Guardian: “What are said and written in the newspaper are not what we see on the ground. What we want is something that we can see with our own eyes and use practically.”

Most of the roads, including those recently opened in Hakha and Thantlang townships by government officials, were constructed with financial and labour contributions from the locals as well as abroad.

“Basically, the roads are not much usable except for the day of opening ceremony attended by government officials. It is mainly because it was not well funded and there is no fund or plan for maintenance,” added the Chin leader.

Until recently, there have been reports of accidents claiming hundreds of lives in connection with the poor conditions of roads across Chin State.

The need for construction of roads for effective communications in Chin State was even put forward by the Chin leaders at the Panglong Conference as parts of their demands for the Chin people ahead of Burma’s independence in 1948.

Reporting by Thawng Zel Thang
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