The Kyauktan Industrial Zone Implementation Committee has announced that the Kyauktan Industrial Zone, located in Mon State, will officially be opened on 26 March.
Basic industrial zone infrastructure, including roads, bridges, water and electricity supply have recently been completed after a construction period of two years.
“Implementation of the industrial zone is now about 90 per cent complete. An opening ceremony will be held on 26 March. Around 10 businesses have already started operating [within the zone],” said U Tin Hlaing, chair of the committee.
Construction on the industrial zone project began in 2014. It was led by the Mon State Development Committee under a directive from the Mon State government, but it was privately funded.
Businesses entrepreneurs, who purchased land from landowners for the purpose of building the infrastructure for the industrial zone, are required to pay a sum of K17 million (US$13,957) per acre of land in instalments over a three-year period to the Kyauktan Industrial Zone Implementation Committee, as well as also paying K3.45 million ($2,833) into an industrial zone grant fund.
“We businessmen have bought farmland at the current market price. Since this is farmland though, we can’t build an industrial zone on it. We have to pay approximately K20 million to the committee per acre of land owned for it to be levelled and for electricity and water to be made available,” said investor U Win Naing.
A total of 59 investors from around the country have purchased land in the industrial zone, which covers 254 acres.
“The previous industrial zone was far away from Mawlamyine. It was located in the town of Kyaikmaraw. There were two suspension bridges that needed to be crossed to reach it, making it difficult to access. They had to limit the tonnage of vehicles. Container vehicles weren’t able to cross the Attaran Bridge. Water was scarce, electricity supply was patchy, and phone connections were bad. It was for these reasons that it wasn’t a success. The construction of the new Kyauktan Industrial Zone is in Mawlamyine, so everything is fine,” said U Hla Shein, chair of the Mon State Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The industrial zone features a variety of different business enterprises, including zinc, barbed wire, ready-mix cement, food and drink production, textiles, gold purification, ice factories, shoe production facilities, furniture enterprise, plastic enterprises, cool seafood storage and car accessory businesses.
Source: Global New Light of Myanmar
