Myanmar Railways announced yesterday that Asia Sun Logistics Co. Ltd and Resources Group of Logistics won the tender to establish freight train services as a joint venture along the Yangon-Mandalay and Mandalay- Myitkyina routes.
U Thurein Win, managing director of Myanmar Railways, said the new freight lines will begin operating in the near future.
“With the operations of the two freight services under the joint venture system, fuel and construction materials for building infrastructure will be transported at reasonable prices,” he added.
According to the agreements in the tender, each company will receive the right to operate the freight services for 20 years.
Currently, Myanmar Railways operates freight services along the Yangon-Mandalay route, Yangon-Mawlamyine route, Yangon-Pyay route, Mandalay-Myitkyina route, Mandalay-Lashio route, Thazi-Shwenyaung-Myingyan route and Pyinmana-Taungdwingyi-Kyaukpadaung route, among others.
The volume of freight shipped by Myanmar Railways has declined from about 3.58 million tonnes in the 2011-2012 fiscal year to 2.18 million tonnes in the 2014-2015 fiscal year.
Expired engines and coaches have been blamed for Myanma Railways’ decrease in business.—
Source: Global New Light Of Myanmar
