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Yangon, 2 April- A ceremony to fix golden bolts at the Thanlwin Bridge (Mawlamyine) being constructed by the Ministry of Construction was held on the bank of Mottama on 30 March, with an address by member of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Maung Bo of the Ministry of Defence.

In his address, Lt-Gen Maung Bo said fixing golden bolts meant that the bridge would be completed soon. The bridge is on 842-mile Kawthoung-Myeik-Dawei-Mawlamyine-Yangon Road. It is the largest rail-cum bridge in Myanmar. The bridge was built on self-reliance by Myanmar engineers without foreign assistance. He said Kywegu-Kyaukphya Bridge and Laynya-Mandaing Bridge are under construction on Dawei-Myeik-Taninthayi-Bokepyin-Kawthoung Road, a section of the Union Highway.

On completion of the bridges, they will link Taninthayi Division, Mon State, Kayin State, Mon State and Bago Division. One can easily go to any part of the Union through road networks at any time. Major roads which can link national races had emerged and new railroads were also built. Before 1988 there were four bridges across the four main rivers, namely Ayeyawady, Chindwin, Thanlwin and Sittoung. Today there are 12 bridges now. He said under the leadership of the Head of State, the government has been making endeavours for narrowing the development gap among the regions and fulfilling the requirements for raising the quality of life of the national people. He said the government is building roads and bridges in States and Divisions spending large sums of money for development of the entire Union, consolidation of national solidarity, propagation of Union Spirit, ensuring better transport from one region to another and narrowing the development gap among the regions.

Next, Minister for Construction Maj-Gen Saw Tun said the project was launched on the banks of Mottama and Mawlamyine at the same time according to the decision of the meeting No 1/98 of Special Projects Implementation Committee. On completion of the bridge, economic and social activities of local people on the Yangon-Mawlamyine-Ye-Dawei-Myeik-Kawthoung Road will improve, he said.

Chairman of Mon State Peace and Development Council Commander of South-East Command Maj-Gen Thura Myint Aung also spoke on the occasion.

Lt-Gen Maung Bo, the commander, the minister, the deputy minister and Brig-Gen Myint Soe of Thaton Station took the designated places.

At the auspicious time, they fixed the golden bolts and sprinkled scented water on them. Lt-Gen Maung Bo and party inspected installation of iron beams at the bridge. A similar ceremony was held on the bank of Mawlamyine at 9 am. The main structure of Thanlwin Bridge (Mawlamyine) is 7,699 feet long. The approach roads on Mawlamyine and Mottama sides are 1,624 feet long and 2,252 feet long. The total length of the rail-cum bridge is 11,575 feet long. It has 28 feet wide motor road and 14 feet wide railroad and also has six feet wide walkway on either side.