The Yangon-Dala Bridge, constructed as a symbol of friendship by South Korea, is now in its final construction phase. Military council leader Min Aung Hlaing is pressuring for the bridge to be opened before the December 28 election, and plans to attend the opening ceremony to deliver a speech, according to a civilian member involved in the bridge project. Despite the project being initially discussed during former President Thein Sein’s administration and actually implemented during the National League for Democracy government, the military council leader is attempting to claim credit for the construction.
The bridge is a four-lane cable-stayed structure with a main span of 1,936 feet and a total length of 6,143 feet. It is designed to accommodate ships up to 15,000 tons, with a clearance height of 160 feet and a navigation channel width of 525 feet. The project is funded through South Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) loan of US$137.833 million and domestic funding of US$30.341 million, totaling US$168.174 million. The bridge design was created by South Korea’s Soosoog Co.Ltd, with construction primarily managed by Korean experts from GS Engineering Group.
Upon completion, the bridge will provide convenient access from Yangon to Dala, Twante, Kawhmu, and Kungyangon townships, as well as to coastal regions and the entire Ayeyarwady Region via the Daye Daye Bridge. The bridge represents a significant infrastructure development, though its completion is being politically exploited by the military council, which is attempting to use it for propaganda purposes ahead of their planned election. The bridge’s construction specifications and funding arrangements were established through agreements between the Korea Export-Import Bank and Myanmar’s Ministry of Construction, with the loan agreement signed on November 16, 2015.
