The main road between Maungdaw and Buthidaung, one of the major roads in Arakan State, has been in a deplorable condition since Cyclone Komen caused extensive flooding in the area in July.
According to locals the worst and most visible damage runs for about 1500 feet (approx 457 meters) between miles seven and eight coming from Maungdaw.
A local said: “Heavy vehicles like big trucks cannot move along the road now. The small cars have to run slowly and in many places the passengers have to get out of their vehicles and walk,”
The 16-mile Maungdaw to Buthidaung road is also important for traveling to Bangladesh. During colonial rule the British built a railway, but it has not been used since Burma's independence.
The road is occasionally repaired by the government agencies, but they claim that due to shortfall of budgets the work only ever gets half-done.
Many local officials allege that they have to pay for the repairs out of their own pockets and then have to get the money reimbursed.
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
