Yangon–Pathein Highway upgrades accelerated for completion by April
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Hsu/Pearl (NP News) - Feb 4
Renovations on the Yangon–Pathein road are expected to be finished by April to ensure a smoother commute, according to regional road department director U Yan Naing Zaw in an interview with the Statesman Journal.
The 113-mile Yangon–Pathein highway is undergoing upgrades, specifically on a three-mile stretch between the Bo Myat Htun Bridge and Pantanaw. This section is currently being paved with concrete by a private company under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) system.
Preparations are beginning for a 30-foot-wide, six-mile concrete road project between Pantanaw and Kyaunggon. The project follows directives from Acting President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and State Security and Peace Commission Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
“The project is already underway. Expansions include earthworks and the concrete work on the edges of the asphalt road. Along the 59-mile post section, concrete widening has been completed for about 0.6 km (three furlongs) on one side. Work will continue steadily. Meanwhile, the machinery crew is intensively handling embankment widening and subgrade leveling along the six-mile stretch. Our target is to complete a six-mile, 30-foot-wide concrete road by the end of March,” said U Yan Naing Zaw.
Similarly, roadwork continues along the Yangon–Pathein route: an asphalt overlay is being applied between Kyaunggon and Kankale, while the section from Kankale to Daga is being elevated and widened. Additionally, the stretch between Daga and Pathein is undergoing staged asphalt and embankment upgrades.
“You can also see asphalt overlay works progressing in stages between Kyaunggon and Kankale. Between Kankale and Daga, three locations are being widened from the original 18 feet to 24 feet; we plan to complete these by late February. After Daga toward Pathein, additional asphalt overlays are underway. Embankment widening is 100% complete around mile posts 102 and 103. Near mile post 105, a 30-foot-wide concrete road is being laid over a three-furlong stretch. Teams are working section by section at full strength and momentum,” he explained.
Funded by the Union budget, repair, maintenance, and expansion projects on the Yangon–Pathein road are being accelerated to ensure a smooth, completed surface before April.
“Even in sections without asphalt overlays, we are filling uneven surfaces, correcting slopes, and performing maintenance. In line with instructions from senior authorities, our goal is to make the entire Yangon–Pathein road completely smooth before the end of March—ahead of the Thingyan travel period. Funding comes from the Union budget,” he added.