Information Sheet N0.B-1150(I)

[OKKAR66129@xxxxxxx]

MYANMAR INFORMATION COMMITTEE
YANGON

Information  Sheet
N0.B-1150(I)                    16th November 1999

(1)     Opening Ceremony of Bo Myat Tun Bridge Held

        A ceremony to inaugurate Bo Myat Tun Bridge spanning the Ayeyawady 
River between Thaungdan Village in Nyaungdon Township, Ayeyawady Division, on 
the eastern bank and Kyeinbinse Village in Nyaungdon Township on the western 
bank was held at the pandal near the bridge in Thaungdan Village, Nyaungdon 
Township, on the eastern bank, on 15 November. The ground-breaking ceremony 
for construction of this bridge was held on 15 June 1996. At that time, a 
plan was made to complete the construction of the bridge within two years and 
eight months. But, the bridge is the longest one out of the hitherto already 
built bridges; as special care was taken to make sure that the bridge was 
strong, it took three years and five months to complete the construction of 
the bridge. There have been four Ayeyawady River crossing bridges:- Nawadae 
Bridge (Pyay) was inaugurated in September 1997, Maubin Bridge in February 
1998, Bala Minhtin Bridge (Myitkyina) in November 1998; including Bo Myat Tun 
Bridge.   Anawrahta Bridge (Chauk) will soon be opened and plans are being 
made to build Ayeyawady Bridge (Daedaye), Ayeayewady Bridge (Magway) and 
Ayeyawady Bridge (Mandalay). Only last September, Hsinbyushin Bridge across 
Chindwin River was inaugurated in Anya (Upper Myanmar) region. Moreover, 
Ta-kaw-ek Bridge, Tahsan Bridge and Hpa-an Bridge across the Thanlwin river 
have been already built.  As Ayeyawady Division is teeming with rivers and 
streams, waterway is the main mode of transport. After 1988, due to active 
cooperation of the Government and people from Ayeyawady Division, a network 
of motor roads and bridges has emerged in the division; once motor roads were 
about 463 miles long in all, and now, the motor roads have stretched up to 
about 1,300 miles in all. As a result, the transport sector is improving and 
over the last ten years, the economic and social conditions of Ayeyawady 
Division are improving significantly. Bo Myat Tun Bridge is the longest one 
out of the bridges already built so far in Myanmar and of the 
over-180-foot-long bridges, it is the 101st one. Bo Myat Tun Bridge, 8,544 
feet long, has a 6,164-foot-longmain bridge, a 1,000-foot-long approach 
structure on the eastern bank of the river, a 1,380-foot-long approach 
structure on the western bank, a 28-foot-wide motorway and two 6-foot-wide 
pedestrian lanes on either side. The waterway under the bridge is 360 feet 
wide and the clearance, 57 feet high. The upper structure of the bridge is 
the iron framework and the lower structure is built of reinforced concrete. 
The bridge can bear 60 ton loads. Bo Myat Tun Bridge Project began on 15 June 
1996 and was completed on 30 October 1999.

(2)     Myanmar International Insurance Corp Opens Monywa Branch

        A ceremony to open Monywa branch of Myanmar International Insurance 
Corporation was held at the branch office on 14 November.

(3)     Course Opened in Advanced Technology for Cement Production

        A ceremony to open a course in advanced technology for cement 
production sponsored by the Association for Overseas Technical 
Scholarship-ASIAN Local Training Programme of Japan and Myanmar Ceramics 
Industries of Ministry of Industry-1, was held at Danyingon Asbestos Factory 
on 15 November. Managing Director Mr. Yashihiro Araki of Japan External Trade 
Organization, on behalf of Association for Overseas Technical 
Scholarship-AOTS, explained matters relating to the opening of the course. 
Altogether 20 trainees are attending the two-week course.


(4)     Workshop Held on Radiation Protection in Radiotherapy, 
Radiodiagnostics, 
        Nuclear Medicine

        The National Workshop on Radiation Protection in Radiotherapy, 
Radio-diagnostics and Nuclear Medicine, organized by Ministry of Health, IAEA 
and Ministry of Science and Technology, was opened at the meeting hall of 
Medical Research Department in Yangon on 15 November. The workshop will be 
attended by 90 trainees and held at Medical Research Department and Yangon 
General Hospital up to 19 November.

(5)     Myanmar Mayflower Bank Opens Yuzana Plaza Branch

        A ceremony to open Yuzana Plaza branch of Myanmar Mayflower Bank Ltd 
was held at Mingala Hall of the plaza in Yangon on 15 November. It is the 
15th branch of MMB Ltd and the seventh in Yangon. The MMB Ltd will open 
Monywa and Muse branches this month and Kengtung, Myingyan, Meiktila and 
Hlinethaya branches before the end of the year.

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