Vice President U Henry Van Thio presided over the 2nd coordination meeting of steering committee on Hanthawaddy International airport construction project yesterday to discuss the infrastructural works for the project.

The meeting was held at the Ministry of Transport and Communications in Nay Pyi Taw, and attended by committee members and Union ministers U Thaung Tun, Dr Aung Thu, U Thant Sin Maung, U Ohn Win, U Win Khaing and U Han Zaw, Attorney-General of the Union U Tun Tun Oo; chief ministers U Phyo Min Thein and U Win Thein; deputy ministers U Maung Maung Win and U Kyaw Myo; and officials.

U Henry Van Thio, in his capacity as the chairman of steering committee, explained the work of his committee which was reformed by the President’s Order 31/2020 on 11 February 2020. The previous committee held a coordination meeting in December 2016 and decided to set up the Hanthawaddy International airport as a national project, to sign contract with HIA Myanmar Co,Ltd., to do collaboration among relevant ministries in applying for Official Development Assistance Loan and to provide assistance for infrastructure and utilities.

The framework agreement with Yongnam-CAPE-JGC Consortium was expired on 30 January 2018 although the company won tender for construction of Hanthawaddy airport under the Public-Private-Partnership system.

Discussions were made with the JICA and MLIT to implement the airport project with 100 per cent ODA loan. The preparatory committee on implementation of project was formed with the representatives of Myanmar and Japan, and the committee held 11 meetings from February 2018 to July this year.

The agreements were made to construct the phase-1 of facility that can handle 8 million passengers each year, to conduct feasibility study by the JICA, to prepare for the report on this study with the collaboration of relevant departments and to take part in infrastructural works.

Union Minister U Thant Sin Maung explained the project of Hanthawaddy airport, followed by presentation of the Joint-Secretary of steering committee and the Director-General of Department of Civil Aviation, U Aung Kyaw Tun, about the background history of the project, preparation for feasibility study report, land utilization and compensation for the lands.

Mr Uehara, the Deputy Team Leader of Feasibility Study Team, presented work plans for the study.

The Union Ministers, the Attorney-General of the Union, chief ministers of local government and the deputy ministers discussed the works of their departments.
In his concluding remarks, the Vice President said the advantages of Hanthawaddy airport, including its location, air routes for international flights, the lack of obstruction, sufficient land areas to expand the airport, linking with major cities, highways and railways, access to electricity from Lawpita and Zaungtu hydropower plants, water supply from Za Let Htaw and Ma Zinn reservoirs and a major hub for local and foreign commodity flows.

MNA

(Translated by Aung Khin)

PHOTO: MNA

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