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Pakokku–Kalay Railway
Pakokku–Kalay Railway is a railway line operated by Myanma Railways under the Ministry of Transport and Communications. This railway connects towns on the western bank of the Ayeyarwady River, such as Pakokku, Myaing, Gangaw, and Kalay. The railway spans a total of 240.47 miles in distance, with a track length of 274.04 miles and includes 65 stations.[1][2] HistoryIn the 1990s, the government undertook railway expansion projects, which included the construction of the new line from Pakokku to Kalay. This new railway, stretching over 300 kilometers, became one of the longest constructed at that time. The eastern side of Ponnya Mountain sections was opened in 1994 and 1995, and the line reached Kyaw village two years later. The western sections of Ponnya Mountain were opened in 1995 and 1996, and the line reached Yaymyatni in 1997.[2] To connect Kyaw village on the eastern side of Ponnya Mountain and Yaymyatni village on the western side, a direct route through Ponnya Mountain was planned, bypassing the long mountain road. Instead of a long mountain pass, it was decided to construct the Ponnya Mountain Tunnel, which spans 1.7 kilometers. As a result, the Ponnya Mountain Tunnel became the longest railway tunnel in Myanmar. Excavation for the Ponnya Mountain Tunnel began in 1996–97, with Myanma Railways and the Myanmar Mining Engineering R,E.D.E. team working together to dig the eastern entrance (50 meters) and the western entrance (30 meters).[3] The tunnel was officially opened on January 27, 2007, and the completion of the section between Kyaw and Yaymyatni marked the full completion of the Pakokku-Kalay railway line. Plans were proposed to extend the line further to Tamu, a town on the border with India, aiming to connect Myanmar's rail network with the Indian Railways. This would allow Myanma Railways to connect with transcontinental railway networks spanning Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and ultimately Singapore. Stations
SuspensionThree and a half years after the line's opening, in 2010, severe rainfall from the Giri Cyclone caused landslides and soil subsidence along the Kyaw-Yaymyatni section in Gangaw Township. As a result, the rail service, which had begun operating on January 17, 2007, was suspended on July 5, 2010. Only limited services could continue on the Gangaw-Hanthawaddy (Chin) and Pakokku-Kyaw sections. Due to fault lines near the Ponnya Mountain Tunnel and high repair costs, the Ministry of Transport and Communications announced during a session of the People's Assembly that there were no plans to repair and reopen the Kyaw-Yaymyatni section.[4] References
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