The Kaladan multi – purpose transportation project, a $214 million contract, jointly implemented by Myanmar and India, is expected to be operational by 2015.

According to Essar company, contractors of the three phase project, 70 percent of phase one- construction of Sittway Deep Seaport and Paletwa Jetty, dredging the Kaladan waterway and construction of six vessels, has been completed.

Phase two and three which involve the construction of a 109 km-long road to link Paletwa with border region and the construction of a highway between India’s Mizoram state and Myanmar’s Chin state, respectively are soon to follow. Upon total completion of the waterway and highway project, India is to hand this over to Myanmar to carry out the maintenance work.

This project would help support better transport and trade between both the regional countries.