Myanmar, India to sign transit pact From Our Spl Correspondent NEW DELHI, April 2 – A crucial Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Facility agreement, paving the way for hand-over of the Sittwe Port, is all set to be signed in presence of Vice Senior General, Maung Aye and Vice President, Hamid Ansari, here his evening. The agreement is scheduled to be signed at Hyderabad House ahead of the banquet hosted by the Vice President later this evening. Earlier, the Vice Senior General, who is accompanied by wife, Mya Mya San, arrived on a three-day visit, here this morning.
The Vice Senior General, soon after his arrival met Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee and Chief of the Army, General Deepak Kapoor. Later he called on President, Prathiba Devisingh Patil.
He is scheduled to meet Opposition Leader, LK Advani, here tomorrow, before flying off to Bhopal. He is visiting Sanchi, Jamanagar and Bangalore, besides Varanasi, Sarnath and Gaya before returning to Nay Pyi Taw.
The high point of his visit, however, is signing of the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Facility agreement. Maung Aye, meanwhile, sought New Delhi’s support for the junta’s plans for a constitutional referendum in May.
He is expected to explain the junta’s timeline for a new constitution, a referendum in May and elections in 2010, said sources.
Maung Aye’s trip is his second official visit since 2000. Head of the Burmese military junta Senior-Gen Than Shwe came on a state visit in 2004.
India is going to invest USD 103 million to redevelop Sittwe Port on the North Western coast of Myanmar and improve navigability on the Kaladan river in Myanmar. RITES will execute the project, which is expected to be commissioned by 2011-2012.
RITES has already completed a survey of the bi-Chin hills in Myanmar into Mizoram and then southwards from Myanmar entering Bay of Bengal at Sittwe Port. The project includes construction of 117 km road on the Indian side from India-Myanmar border up to NH-54 and carrying out pre-construction activities in India by the Department of Road Transport and Highway under separate fund allocation.
The first phase of the project consists of upgrading Sittwe Port, navigability of river Kaladan till Kaletwa. The second phase involves development of highway from Kaletwa to Indo-Myanmar border in Mizoram.
As reported last week, the Union Government has cleared a Rs 535.91-crore aid package to Myanmar to facilitate up-gradation of the Sittwe Port. The Union Cabinet further cleared the signing of the Framework Agreement and Protocol on Facilitation of Transit Transport and Protocol on Maintenance and Administration.
