One Billion Kyats Plans for Chin State Airport

One Billion Kyats Plans for Chin State Airport
by -
Khonumthung

The Chin State Government has put aside 1 billion kyats to pay for the construction of Surbung Airport in Falam Township, Chin State, said U Ngun Hsan Aung, the Chin State Transport Minister.

He said that for the financial year 2015 to 2016 the Chin State Government has planned to spend 1 billion kyats to implement the project.

He said: “We looked at three sites where we could construct the airport, in Hakha, Falam and Tiddim Townships. Hakha, the capital of Chin State was considered, it had a large enough plain area but it was unsuitable for planes to land on and take off from. Tidim was also good, but it is surrounded by really high mountains and the nearby town of Kalay also has an airport. The survey officials said that Falam’s Surbung mountain area had the most possibility and was the best place to build an airport. So, we will spend 1 billion kyats for this financial year to implement the engineering work.”

To ensure that construction goes smoothly 200 people, including government department officials, village heads from nearby villages, church pastors and youths went to the project area and held a prayer ceremony on 18 April.

Out of Burma’s 14 states and regions Chin State is the only one that does not yet have an airport.

U Nan Zamon, the finance minister of Chin State said the Chin State Government also planned to spend another 84.023 billion kyats in the 2015 to 2016 financial year on developing roads in the state.

He told 7 Days News that the people of Chin State rely on roads for transport and that 80.293 billion kyats of the proposed spend on roads would come from the state government budget, while the remaining 3.731 billion kyats would come from the union government budget.

Roads have been deteriorating in Chin State. Roads often collapse and cars are frequently rolled. There are deaths and casualties on Chin State roads every year.

Of 1,408 villages in Chin State 810 have no road connection. Of these, 360 villages are in Paletwa Township, 166 villages are in Mindat Township, 86 villages are in Matupi Township, 80 villages are in Falam Township, 29 villages are in Tunzang Township, 24 villages are in Kanpetlet Township, 14 villages are in Hakha Township, 5 villages are in Htantlang Township and 46 villages are in Tiddim Township.

Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI 

March 28, 2024
The Zoland People's Defense Force (PDF) has apprehended government staff who are implementing...
March 25, 2024
The Chinland Council will cooperate with Indian authorities to oppress illicit drug trafficking...
March 21, 2024
A Tonzang Township teacher from Chin State, engaged in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM),...
March 14, 2024
Resistance forces in Kalay Township collected the bodies of three dead Burma army soldiers...