Myanmar tunnel projects proposed for mountain routes

Three road tunnels have been proposed as part of a highway project by the Myanmar Government. The tunnels would run through the Wa Ta Lone Mountain, Khauk Nwe Mountain 1 and Khauk New Mountain 2 in the Shan Mountains. The tunnels would form part of the project for the Taunggyi-Loilin road in Shan State. A study into the tunnels will be carried out by the Myanmar Government. Should the project go ahead, the tunnel through Wa Ta Lone Mountain would be built first as it is thought to be the most straightforward of the three, with a cost of US$97 million. The 8.3km tunnel through Khauk New Mountain 2 has a projected cost of $120 million, while the 7km tunnel through Khauk Nwe Mountain 1 is expected to cost $100 million. The Myanmar Government hopes to fund portions of the project through a series of loans from the Official Development Assistance from Japan, Economic Development and Cooperation Fund (ECDF) from South Korea, and the Asian Development Bank.