World-class integrated industrial city being developed in Pathein

The Pathein Industrial City (PIC) project is being developed by Ayeyarwaddy Development Public Company Limited in Pathein, Ayeyawady Region. The Pathein Industrial City (PIC) project is being implemented in three phases and is designed to include an international scale industrial zone, a river port, commercial and residential zone. Upon completion of the project, which is being established on 6,700 acres of land along the Pathein-Ngapudaw Road in Pathein Township, Ayeyawady Region, with an investment of US$ 500 million, it is expected to create over one million job opportunities for local people, according to an official from Ayeyarwaddy Development Public Company Limited.

Phase I of the project is being developed as an industrial zone which will cover about 1,200 acres of land, and the construction work has been about 70 per cent finished. The international port is scheduled to be built in the industrial zone project, and it is being developed for a new role in the regional economy. The Phase I of the project covers an area of 1,200 acres of land. At present, the entire 1,200 acres on Phase I are nearing completion and the factories are operational. When the entire Phase I is fully operational, it will provide employment opportunities for between 150,000 and 300,000 local people. Once completed, the project will create thousands of jobs for local people in Ayeyawady Region.

This project will greatly contribute to the economic growth and employment prospects of the whole region according to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Ayeyarwaddy Development Public Company Limited. The Pathein Industrial City (PIC) project is located 8 km from Pathein Port, 7 km from Pathein railway station and 17 km from Pathein Airport. The project will include garment factories, rice mills, fish processing plants, glass mills, cold storage facilities, plastics factories, fertilizer factories and furniture factories. Construction of four factories in Phase I of the project has been finished. The construction of garment factories that can employ 3,000 to 5,000 workers has been completed. Four more factories are expected to be completed before the rainy season.

A special garment zone is being built, and about 50 acres for rice production is being researched by China in the project area. Phase I of the project has reportedly been 70 per cent completed, with Chinese, Korean, Japanese and other international companies investing in the zone. Phase II and Phase III of the project will be the future development of commercial, residential and industrial zone which will cover about 5,500 acres of land. Phase II of the project will include affordable housing projects, hotels, resorts and shopping malls. After Phase I of the project, Phase II will be implemented in 2021, including the low-cost housing projects and shopping malls. The developers were urged to conduct environmental and social impacts of the project with the aim of lessening negative effects and take grievances of local people into consideration.

With rapid urbanization of Pathein City and an urgent need for extension of urban residential housings on the west bank of Ngawun River, the Pathein Bridge-2 was built by the Ministry of Construction. The integrated industrial city project is expected to promote infrastructural development and boost tourism in the region. The local government has been attempting to upgrade basic infrastructure projects in the region, pouring the majority of its budget into reconstruction and upgrade of the road networks, to make operational in all seasons. Infrastructural development of a region plays a vital role in helping the country’s GDP increase and uplifting the standard of living of local people. Development of infrastructural projects provides economic growth, creates job prospects for local residents and lifts them out of poverty.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar

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