Myanmar, China hope to sign Framework Agreement on Muse-Mandalay railway project
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Khit/ Yoon (NP News) – Jan 6
According to the report released by the State Administration Council (SAC), the governments of Myanmar and China are preparing to sign the Framework Agreement for the Muse-Mandalay railway project, which will include more than 100 bridges.
Project Steering Committee at the state-level has been formed in November to implement the construction of Muse-Mandalay railway project and to develop the G2G process coordination framework. The committee will be chaired by the Minister of Transport and Communications.
In addition, discussions are underway between the two countries for implementing the project.
Domestic and external investments will be invited; and efforts will also be made to get the development fund with reasonable interest rate. What is more, suitable financial model for the project and funding policy will also be set between the stakeholders.
It is stated that a total of 124 bridges, 60 tunnels, 409.96 kilometer-long electric railway, 11 power stations, and power line transmission will involve in the Muse-Mandalay Railway Project.
The expected expenditure for constructing the railroad project is US$ 8.9 billion. The project will construct express train route between Muse, the border town between China and Myanmar, and Mandalay, the central heart city of Myanmar for the trade hub. The project is a part of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor.
The Myanma Railway Department under the Ministry of Transport and Communications and China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co. Limited (CREEC) and China Railway Group Limited signed the Memorandum of Understanding in October 2018to conduct the feasibility study for the construction of the railway project.