08 Sep Building the future of Myanmar – 100 bridges completed in 2019-20

Infrastructure is a crucial contributing factor to the growth of an emerging market, and Myanmar is making steady progress on this front, improving the quality of infrastructure available across the country. According to Myanmar’s Ministry of Construction (MOC), state and regional governments spent approximately US$ 350 million on the development of bridges in fiscal year 2019-20.

“100 bridges in total have been completed in fiscal 2019-20. The new infrastructure has helped to enhance connectivity and trade for under-developed communities”, said Mr. U Nay Aung Ye Myint, Director General of the Bridges Department under MOC.

A great degree of forethought and planning was put into each of the bridge construction projects with emphasis being stressed on the long-term sustainability of these structures. This is illustrated by the fact that the bridge designs were changed from steel trusses to steel arches, representing an advance in bridge engineering. The technology used for quality control will substantially increase bridge load and lifespan. As a result, the long run maintenance costs will also come down.

The headway made by Myanmar in infrastructure investments encourages positive sentiments about its future prospects. Not only does it represent a genuine improvement in political governance but it also helps in building a launchpad for business initiatives. By increasing accessibility and connectivity for the country’s 53 million residents, the Myanmar Government might be able to unlock the nation’s true economic potential.