A
feasibility report is being prepared for the proposed highway to connect India
with neighbouring Myanmar and
Thailand,
the government
said on Thursday. "Presently,
projects are at feasibility-report stage," Minister of State for Road,
Transport and Highways, Sarvey Sathyanarayana, told the Rajya Sabha in a
written reply.
"India
agreed to undertake upgradation of the Kalewa-Yagyi section of trilateral highway
and construction of 71 bridges in the Tamu-Kalea section," Sathyanarayana
said. The highway will help in smoother
and faster movement of goods between these regions. Earlier, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand
Sharma had said the trilateral highway will be completed soon.
The
idea of the highway -- from Moreh in Manipur to Mae Sot in Thailand via
Myanmar -- was conceived at a trilateral ministerial meeting on transport
linkages in Yangon in April 2002. It represents a significant step in establishing
connectivity between India and South East Asian countries. India imports one-third of its pulses and
one-fifth of its timber from Myanmar.