YANGON, February 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Eighty motor roads in Myanmar
linking the country's states and divisions have been upgraded and
extended stage by stage to become union highways, according to
sources at the Myanmar Ministry of Construction Thursday.
   The union highways extend as long as 24,659 kilometers.
   The aim of building highways is to ensure easy link between the
nation's northernmost and southernmost regions and the areas
between the eastern end and western tip in all weather conditions,
the sources said.
   Official statistics show that Myanmar has so far built 6,819 km
of motor roads since 1988 when the present government took office
with its total length extending to 28,758.6 km now.
   Meanwhile, bridges on these highways, especially those on the
Yangon-Mandalay highway where traffic is the heaviest in the
country, are being upgraded to withstand a load of up to 60 tons
from the previous 13 tons and the highway to become a six-lane one
from the present four-lane's.
   In addition, Myanmar has also built 1,715 km of railroads in
the country since 1988, stretching its total length to 6,210 km.
   Myanmar enacted a New Highway Law in November 2000, aimed at
bringing about easier communication and transportation among
regions of the country for quick flow of commodities.  Enditem