The submersible bridge constructed by JIP in Kayin State, Myanmar as part of its FY2020 project has been completed and partially put into service. Considering the situation in Myanmar since February 1, in addition to the corona disaster, and the fact that Japanese staff were not allowed to enter the country at all, it is nothing short of a miracle that we have made it this far. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for the cooperation of everyone involved.
During the rainy season that started early in May, we hurried the completion of the project by continuing the work at night. Since the temporary bridge built by the villagers had already been washed away by the rising water, we decided to open the bridge to pedestrians first, upon the strong request of the residents. The bridge will be open to vehicles by the end of this month when the concrete is cured.
Early in the morning of June 11, a mother with her child in her arms and other villagers crossed a bridge over a river swollen by the rainy season.
On June 14, the monument was installed.
From the evening of June 16 to the next morning, the bridge was observed to sink under the water due to rising water.
On June 18, the bridge was back in service without any problems.
According to the local staff, an opening ceremony by local residents is scheduled for July 1. We will keep you posted as more information becomes available.
JIP’s Facebook page has shared the post by President Nakao. Please check it out as well. (Japanese only)