Mrauk U: The railway authority has postponed construction of a railroad in part of Mrauk U, the ancient city of Arakan, after an underground internet cable was damaged during construction work, said a government official.

The railroad construction was postponed after a conflict between the construction company and the local army technical force when the internet cable, which was buried deep underground, was destroyed by bulldozers during construction work in Mrauk U.

A government official from Mrauk U said, "The railroad construction in Mrauk U has been postponed at present under orders from the army authority because an internet cable was damaged during road construction. Now the high officials between the defense and rail ministries are solving the problem in Naypyidaw."

The army technical force had concealed the internet cable deep underground within a strong pipeline near the Rangoon - Sittwe highway, in order to connect Sittwe with other parts of Burma, especially Rangoon and Naypyidaw.

"The local people know the cable is an internet cable and it was concealed under at least ten feet of earth to connect one town to another. The internet cable was severely damaged when bulldozers dug up earth in the area to construct the railroad. We do now see any workers or bulldozers in our town after the incident," an educated youth from Mrauk U said.

This is the second time construction on the railroad has been postponed in Mrauk U by authorities. Construction was also postponed early on because local residents strongly opposed the destruction of many ancient sites such as pagodas, walls, and former palaces that were in the path of the railroad.

The authority stopped construction of the railroad in Mrauk U and moved the path of the track to another area in order to avoid further damage to ancient pagodas. Construction on the railroad in the revised location has also been halted now after the bulldozers damaged an internet cable owned by the army.