Yangon–Dala Bridge poised to become Myanmar's new major tourist landmark
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Phyo/Thant Zin (NP News) - Feb 17
The new Yangon- Dala Bridge could become a new landmark to attract visitors to Yangon, a tourism consultant told The Statesman.
The bridge, which took seven years to build and was opened on February 6, has attracted public attention even before its opening due to its design.
The Yangon-Dala Bridge is the highest free-flowing bridge in Myanmar. It is a cable-stayed bridge, and the approach and ramp bridges were constructed taking into account gradient requirements.
Since the bridge opened, there have been many people crossing the bridge, not only cars but also pedestrians, and now pedestrians are temporarily prohibited from crossing the bridge.
“The way the Dala Bridge is located means it can become a landmark of Yangon. It becomes a famous place. People used to walk on it when it opened. Now they are not allowed to cross there. So, by looking at it, we can clearly see the interest of people. That is what I can roughly estimate. It is a famous place in Yangon. However, it is not a tourist attraction,” the source said.
He also suggested that, like iconic bridges in other countries, the Dala Bridge could be used as a base for new economic opportunities.
“We will have to learn what other countries do to be able to use this connectivity. It depends on how we will make money. This bridge is good for transportation. Another thing is that cruise ships can pass under this bridge. If that happens, this could become a landmark in Yangon,” he said.
He said that while some countries have to build bridges specifically to attract tourists, the Dala Bridge will not only improve transportation but also become an unexpected new attraction for Yangon.
“Some places are built to attract tourists, but this Dala bridge [built for transportation] could unexpectedly become a tourist attraction for Myanmar,” he said. –