After the initial rush, the India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) road project has hit a slow track. According to sources, among the issues slowing implementation are a relatively cold Thailand and infrastructure inadequacies in Myanmar.

Mid-2015, India had proposed seamless movement of cargo, scheduled (bus) and non-scheduled (private) passenger vehicles between Moreh in Manipur and Mae Sot in Thailand. This was similar to the Bhutan-Bangladesh-India-Nepal (BBIN) motor-vehicles pact (MVA) inked outside SAARC in June 2015.

However, unlike BBIN, the three IMT countries are yet to complete the agreement scheduled to be signed in March. No consensus emerged during negotiations among India, Myanmar and Thailand alternately at Bangkok and Delhi last year.

While Myanmar wanted time till it completed its first general election in 50 years and a democratically elected government took charge, sources involved in the process say Thailand’s response was tepid, as its truckers lobby is not keen on the road link.

Infrastructure inadequacy

But the key hurdle is the infrastructure inadequacies in Myanmar. The nearly 500-km road from Moreh-Tamu border to Mandalay in Myanmar has numerous bridges and culverts that are not strong enough to take the long-bodied Indian trucks. Infrastructure inadequacies also came in the way of running the Imphal-Mandalay bus service.

To address the problem India has sanctioned over ₹370 crore to strengthen some 70 bridges.

Then, there is the issue of customs clearance. Myanmar’s procedure óf clearing papers at Nawpyidaw, nearly 800 km from the Moreh-Tamu border, means a wait of at least five days for a truck. This makes cargo movement via road exorbitantly costly and unviable.

Alternative plan

Experts have come out with an alternative proposal to get the project going. By this plan, India is to focus primarily on movement of cargo and scheduled passenger vehicles (buses) up to Mandalay in the first phase.

The $8.66-billion India-Thailand trade mostly originates and ends in South and West India, well connected by the sea route.

In contrast, Myanmar lacks maritime infrastructure and opening the road network will enhance trade volumes. Farm products, for instance, can be imported from the hinterland of Myanmar by road at a cheaper cost. For export cargo to Myanmar or ASEAN, Mandalay can act as a transhipment hub.

Delhi is yet to take a call on this plan.

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