Strategic Importance of Kaladan Multimodal Transit & Transport Project for cross border connectivity and alternate access to North- Eastern Region of India


1. Introduction: -


The Kaladan Multimodal Transit & Transport (KMMT&T) through Myanmar is a key infrastructure project for providing an alternate access to India's North Eastern region other than the Siliguri chicken neck corridor via road and rail, as well as existing the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol routes on Bangladesh's inland waterways. This is also referred to as one of India's first cross-border connectivity projects, particularly in the Eastern Southern Asian BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal) corridor, which serves as a link between the South Asian and Southeast Asian regions. The first cross-border scheme, however, has yet to be completed in all respects in order to become operational.
The KMMT&T Project, named after the Kaladan River, which flows from Myanmar's Chin state through India's North Eastern state of Mizoram before merging into the Bay of Bengal, aims to connect Mizoram and Myanmar through a multimodal transport corridor, allowing for easy trade and transit movement from Kolkata/Haldia port to this area. The KMMT & T Project (which comprises three modes of transportation: Coastal shipping, IWT, and Road) moves via the Bay of Bengal and the Kaladana River, with road networks being built in Myanmar's Rakhine and Chin states, as well as India's Mizoram (Fig-1). When the project which commenced during 2010 completed, and connected to feeder highways and roads connecting the border region to the inland of the North-East states and in particular to Mizoram, the project has the potential to transform the trade and transport dynamics of the entire region.

The KMMT&T Project, if implemented as expected, would minimize the transportation distance between Kolkata and the Myanmar port of Sittwe by reducing the road distance from 1,880 km via the Chicken's Neck to just 539 km via the sea route. The road distance of 1508 Km from Kolkata to Aizawl via chicken neck corridor will be reduced to 907 Km via the sea route & inland navigation and road mode as being developed through the project.

Fig-1: KMMT&T Corridor in Myanmar & Mizoram in India for a total length of 907 km



2. Status on the execution & Components of the project   


The execution of the Kaladan MMT&T project conceived over two decades ago by Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India was started in May 2010 after the completion of the TEF (Techno-Economic Feasibility), DFS (Detailed Feasibility Studies), and preparation of the DPR (Detailed Project Report) and, most significantly, the signing of the framework agreement between the Governments of Myanmar and India on April 2, 2008,
The schedule for completing the project implementation with the various components outlined below has been revised several times, the most recent in the first quarter of 2021 due to inordinate delays on various accounts. The delays in obtaining the required permits and assistance from the Myanmar government, the violence perpetrated by the Arakan Army, an ethnic rebel group operating in the project region of Chin and Rakhine provinces, the Rohingya Salvation Army's increased hostility, and the difficulties in smooth execution of the work in the hilly terrain and dense forest are the key issues. The recent military crackdown on Myanmar's democratic government, as well as the Covid-19 outbreak, have put the ambitious project's future in jeopardy and thus, the project's completion and operationalization are now at uncertainty.
The project consists of: -
Development of 539 km of Coastal Shipping Route from Kolkata port to Sittwe port situated in Rakhine Sate of Myanmar through Bay of Bengal with the construction of the suitable port infrastructure & dredging operation.
 Development of 158 km of Inland Waterways for IWT on the Kaladan river for navigation from   Sittwe port to Paletwa in Rakhaine & Chin state with the required infrastructures.
Construction of two lanes 110 km of road route from Paletwa to Zorinpui, the Indo-Myanmar border in Chin state of Myanmar.
Construction of two lane100 km of road route from Zorinpui to Lawngtwai (near Aizwal) connecting existing NH-54 in Mizoram which further connects Dabaka in Assam via 850 km of East-West corridor connecting NER with rest of India through Siliguri Chicken neck.
 Based on the DPR prepared by M/s RITES (Rail India Technical & Economic Services), an undertaking under the Ministry of Railway during 2005-06, the project was sanctioned for execution at a cost of Rs 535.95cr in March 2008 with the initial schedule of completion by 2013. The revised cost of the project as sanctioned on 14th October 2015 is Rs 2904.04 cr.
The project is being executed by three agencies and these are: -
Inland Waterways Authority of India engaged as PDC (Project Development Consultant) for development of sea port infrastructures at Sittwe & dredging operation, 158 km of inland waterways on river Kaladan between Sittwe & Paletwa along with development of the fairway, inland terminals at Sittwe and Paletwa, construction and supply of six cargo vessels of 300 tonne capacity. By 2017, all of the project's elements had been completed. However, as decided the same year, one container terminal with associated facilities is currently under construction in Sittwe and Paletwa, with a completion date of 2021.
M/s IRCON Infrastructure Services Ltd, an undertaking under the Ministry of Railway was given responsibility as the PMC (Project management Consultant) for the construction of a 110-kilometer road stretch in Myanmar from Paletwa to Zorinpui (Mizoram border), which has been seriously delayed, as explained, preventing the project from being operational.
However, the Boarder Road Organisation of India responsible for  constructing  100-kilometer road route in Mizoram from Zorinpui to Lawngtwai, has also been completed in 2018.
The fairway on the Kaladan river has been developed with the required conservancy work for LAD (Least Available Depth) of 2.0mt facilitating in the movement of cargo vessels of 300-500 tonne capacity. The port at Sittwe has been constructed with total length of 220mt with draft of 8.0 mt installed with the associated cargo handling equipment for facilitating the berthing of the vessels of 20,000 tonne capacity (Fig-2). The length of the inland terminals at Sittwe and Paletwa (Fig-3) is 72mt equipped with the required cargo handling equipment & infrastructures. On completion of the construction of all six SPC (Self Propelled Carriers/barges) have been handed over to Directorate of Marine, Govt. of Myanmar for operation.



Fig-2 & 3 Port at Sittwe and layout Plan and actual IWT terminal at paletwa


Following the signing of an MOU between the governments of India and Myanmar, a single port operator has been employed since February 2020 for the service and maintenance of the Sittwe ports, the Paletwa terminals, and the facilitation of IWT on the waterways. Since 2017, the Zochawclluah (Myanmar) and Zorinpui (India) integrated customs and immigration checkpoints have been operational. A number of bilateral projects aimed at improving Myanmar's underdeveloped areas and improving further connectivity, as well as establishing a favourable economic and political environment for the project's success, are in the pipeline, including the recent commencement of the construction on a 1000-acre the SEZ (Special Economic Zone) in Sittwey.


3. Gateway to South East Asia

The KMMT&T Project, once operational following Myanmar's return to normalcy, can help not only connect Mizoram and Myanmar, but also India's potential outreach to the prosperous economies of Southeast Asia. As a result, Myanmar's geographical position, as well as its cross-border links to Thailand and China, can highlight its significance as a Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
Furthermore, India's "Act East Policy" and "Neighbours First" policies may have a stronger resonance in India's bilateral ties with Myanmar, and the Buddhist circuit concept fits in nicely with these policies. Once India's various connectivity projects are operational, the strategic dividends it expects to reap will also bring in commercial traffic that hasn't been factored in yet.
And, in the future, through India’s Foreign Policies and its existence in Myanmar, it may be able to achieve its objective in the ASEAN region. As a result, it is critical for India's interests that the Kaladan project get underway as soon as possible.
      


By S. Dandapat, 

Former Chief Engineer (Project & Marine), IWAI & Sr. Consultant to Howe Engineering Project (I) Pvt Ltd, Ahmedabad. 

Email Id: Suvadandapat@gmail.com, 

Mobile No: +919717622733


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