Almost seven months after what some dubbed as the ‘Big Bang’ move of the administrative capital from Rangoon to Pyinmana, 244 miles up north, several new constructions have been completed, according to a source who visited the place during the weekend.
Almost seven months after what some dubbed as the ‘Big Bang’ move of the administrative capital from Rangoon to Pyinmana, 244 miles up north, several new constructions have been completed, according to a source who visited the place during the weekend.
The source said he and his friends put up at one of the five new hotels there, where they learnt of six more under construction.
At Kyetpyay “Chicken Run”, three miles on the road to Leway and Taungdwinggyi, the visitors saw about 200 four-storey buildings, each with 16 rooms to accommodate civilian personnel. According to another S.H.A.N. source who was there in March, there were about 50 buildings.
The group also dropped by a residence reserved for ministers. “It was only a one-storey affair, but large,” he told S.H.A.N.
Apart from the boarding houses for state servants, the group also came across three new buildings. “One’s the town hall,” their host told them. “The others are the school and nursery.”
Another one is already catering to the new residents: Win Thuza minimart. The store is one of a series of chain stores run by the military.
A few remaining houses from the old village there, were still occupied by their owners. “They will be forced to move, when the project is completed,” the host told his visitors. “Otherwise, their huts would be out of step with the rest of the landscape here.”
There is a regular bus that runs between the ministry quarter and Pyinmana. The fare is Kyat 100 ($0.1). There are also motorcycle taxis with three wheels that demand Kyat 300 kyat ($0.3) each from its passengers. “That’s too much for us,” explained the host. “So when we have to go to town or to the ministries, most of us rely on our own office transport.”
The visitors however did not see any star-studded generals during their stay. “The War Office is in Yezin, northeast of the town,” said the host. “And when they fly into Ela (the airport south of Pyinmana), they usually take the new road to Yezin, by passing the town altogether.”
There is a regular air service each day supplemented by Air Bagan belonging to tycoon Tayza that comes in three days a week.
After seven months, many of the officials appear to be resigned to their new surroundings if not exactly at home there. “But last month, a good many of us went down with diarrhoea, which made us miss our homes back in Rangoon,” said a senior clerk.
“With water scarce and mosquitoes aplenty, any kind of infections here is contagious,” he added.
The source said he and his friends put up at one of the five new hotels there, where they learnt of six more under construction.
At Kyetpyay “Chicken Run”, three miles on the road to Leway and Taungdwinggyi, the visitors saw about 200 four-storey buildings, each with 16 rooms to accommodate civilian personnel. According to another S.H.A.N. source who was there in March, there were about 50 buildings.
The group also dropped by a residence reserved for ministers. “It was only a one-storey affair, but large,” he told S.H.A.N.
Apart from the boarding houses for state servants, the group also came across three new buildings. “One’s the town hall,” their host told them. “The others are the school and nursery.”
Another one is already catering to the new residents: Win Thuza minimart. The store is one of a series of chain stores run by the military.
A few remaining houses from the old village there, were still occupied by their owners. “They will be forced to move, when the project is completed,” the host told his visitors. “Otherwise, their huts would be out of step with the rest of the landscape here.”
There is a regular bus that runs between the ministry quarter and Pyinmana. The fare is Kyat 100 ($0.1). There are also motorcycle taxis with three wheels that demand Kyat 300 kyat ($0.3) each from its passengers. “That’s too much for us,” explained the host. “So when we have to go to town or to the ministries, most of us rely on our own office transport.”
The visitors however did not see any star-studded generals during their stay. “The War Office is in Yezin, northeast of the town,” said the host. “And when they fly into Ela (the airport south of Pyinmana), they usually take the new road to Yezin, by passing the town altogether.”
There is a regular air service each day supplemented by Air Bagan belonging to tycoon Tayza that comes in three days a week.
After seven months, many of the officials appear to be resigned to their new surroundings if not exactly at home there. “But last month, a good many of us went down with diarrhoea, which made us miss our homes back in Rangoon,” said a senior clerk.
“With water scarce and mosquitoes aplenty, any kind of infections here is contagious,” he added.
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