Yangon government considers ending industrial zone bridge tolls
The Yangon Region government is debating ending the toll fees on three bridges that connect Hlaing Thar Yar industrial zone with Yangon and the Thilawa special economic zone. “We are discussing with the Ministry of Construction the collection fees on Bayint Naung bridge, Aung Zayar bridge and Shwe Pyi Thar bridge,” Daw Nilar Kyaw, Yangon Region Minister for Electricity, Industry and Transportation, told a Hluttaw session on December 2. She was speaking in response to a question from U Win Maung (NLD; Magwe 6). In order for products from the Hlaing Thar Yar industrial zone to reach local and foreign markets they have to cross one of the three bridges, which cross the Yangon River. The Ministry of Construction is in charge of maintaining the bridges, and was responsible for holding a tender to award private firms responsibility for collecting tolls. Oriental Highway Company, formerly part of Asia World, won the tender to collect tolls on all three bridges. U Tin Ko Ko, operations director for OHC, said his firm’s contract for toll collection ends on March 31 next year.
