Residents Want Authorities to Build a Bridge over Win Yaw River

Local residents want the authorities to build a bridge over the Win Yaw River to connect the eastern side of the river with Kale-Tagundaing administrative unit in Win Yaw area under Kyainseikgyi Township, Karen State.

Kwankathaung Village Administrator U Tin Win Aung told Karen News on April 23 that the residents from over 20 villages in the eastern side of the Win Yaw River want the authorities to build the bridge in order to travel to Kale-Tagundaing administrative unit for education and health affairs and transportation of local products.

“Over 20 villages will be able to travel conveniently if there is a bridge. It will be easier to transport agricultural and raw rubber products, which are produced here. The students can attend Kale-Tagundaing School within the same day. Emergency patients can be sent to the hospital within 15 minutes if there is a bridge. We want the bridge because the regional development is slow,” he said.

Kale-Tagundaing administrative unit has a fire station, a station hospital, a police station, a high school, an examination department, and trade and services. As there is no bridge, the local residents have to pay Ks 1,000 per motorcycle and Ks 15,000 per truck to cross the river with a ferry to carry out general affairs in Kale-Tagundaing.

“Education ends at the middle school level in the village. We can take the children to school in Kale-Tagundaing within the same day if there is a bridge. We are trading consumer goods and local products every day. We have already repaired the road at the entrance of Tagundaing Village on the western side because we want a bridge,” said U Hla from the eastern side of the river.

Karen State Hluttaw MP Saw Tin Win from Kyainseikgyi Township said a proposal has been submitted to the Kayin State Hluttaw to build Kwankathaung Bridge and Phathale Bridge over the Win Raw River due to regional needs and the administrative sector will carry it out in line with the budget.

“I have only seen them connecting the roads. The western area of Kyainseikgyi and Thanpayar Bridge are also important. They (the bridges) should be built first. The old Win Yaw Bridge should also be upgraded. I still haven’t received any instructions or permissions for Kwankathaung Bridge and Phathale Bridge,” U Myo Aung, administrator of Kyainseikgyi Township, told Karen News on April 23.

Although the former military government had made measurements to build Kwankathaung Bridge across the Win Yaw River, it still has not been built. Local residents have submitted to the state government in 2012 to build the bridges, according to them.