Work on Kengtung railroad project suspended

Work on Kengtung railroad project suspended
by -
Hseng Khio Fah

Work on the construction of a junta owned railroad project between the eastern Shan state township of Kengtung and the southern Shan state....

Work on the construction of a junta owned railroad project between the eastern Shan state township of Kengtung and the southern Shan state township of Mongnai is under temporary suspension due to heavy rain, putting local militia units in a spot, local sources said.

The construction came to halt in mid July. Since then local militia men have been ordered to take turns to provide security for the construction materials and the train every 24 hours, the sources said.

“We had to go and guard the train carriages and construction materials. But they [authorities] did not provide us anything, not even allowance for our meals. We just received some food from the company. If the company hadn’t given us food, we would not have had anything to eat,” said a militia man.

Only three train carriages have arrived in the project areas since it started, he added.

Some project areas including those, where construction is on, were said to have subsided due to the downpour. In addition these areas are also suffering loss of vehicles due to mechanical problems.

railroad

Railroad Construction in Kengtung

Earlier this year, a local businessman Sai Tip Awn was awarded a contract by the military junta for the railway station construction. Since then a station has been built between Keng Phawng and Na Kham villages, near Kengtung University, on the highway to Taunggyi, Southern Shan State.

“They have competed only a few miles of road construction. The station is not completed yet either,” said another villager.

The project has been under construction since February. Over a thousand acres of public land and farms were confiscated by junta authorities for the project without any compensation.  Once completed, the proposed railroad project is expected to pass through Langkher, Mongpan, Mongton, Monghsat, Mongkok and  Mongphyak, a distance of some 250 miles.