Think Railways

Myanma Railways has awarded Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) and Hitachi Ltd. a 2.4 billion yen contract for the supply and installation of railway signaling systems. The contract will be covered by a grant aid from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Completion of the project is scheduled for June 2017.

The signaling systems consist of a Train Monitoring System, which enables operational control centers to conduct unified management of train positions, an Electronic Interlocking System that controls turnout machines and signal lamps for realizing safe train operations and a Level Crossing System which allows for detecting approaching trains and automatically giving a warning. The systems will be installed along a 140-kilometer stretch between Yangon Central Station and Pyuntasa Station, located along the railway route from former capital Yangon, to Mandalay in Upper Myanmar.

Given the aging of existing railway infrastructure in Myanmar, improvement of the quality and safety of railway services has become an urgent issue. Furthermore, since most long-haul transportation in Myanmar depends on automobiles and airlines, developing rail transportation infrastructure is needed in order to accommodate increasing demand for passenger and cargo transportation.

 Several railway infrastructure projects are being planned in Myanmar, including the modernization of the whole Yangon - Mandalay route and the Yangon loop line. This project carries particular significance because the tranche covered connects the Yangon - Mandalay route and the Yangon loop line. With this project as a first step, MC and Hitachi will continue to pursue opportunities for involvement in future railway infrastructure projects in Myanmar.