The Kaladan River ( my, ကုလားတန်မြစ်, ; also Kysapnadi, Beino, Bawinu and Kolodyne) is a
river in eastern
Mizoram State of
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, and in
Chin State and
Rakhine State of western
Myanmar.
[ The Kaladan River is called the Chhimtuipui River in India.][Still under construction[, The Statesman.] It forms the international border between India and Burma between 22° 47′ 10" N (where its tributary, the Tiau River
, joins it) and 22° 11′ 06" N.[NF 46-7 "Gangaw, Burma"]
U.S. Army Map Service topographic map 1:250,000, 1954, first printing April 1958
History
Kaladan was an entry point to Mizoram from the seaport of Sittwe
Sittwe (; ; formerly Akyab) is the capital of Rakhine State, Myanmar (Burma). Sittwe, pronounced ''sait-tway'' in the Rakhine language, is located on an estuarial island created at the confluence of the Kaladan, Mayu, and Lay Mro rivers empt ...
in 1904. Kaladan is Mizoram's largest river and it flows through its southeastern region.
Geography
The river arises in central Chin State as the Timit, , and flows south and is soon joined by the Chal, after which it is known as the Boinu River. It continues south until just before it is joined by the Twe River at 22° 08′ 40″ N 93° 34′ 30″ E, when it swings west. It continues west until 22° 05′ 20″ N 93° 14′ 12″ E, when it heads northwest. At 22° 11′ 06″ N 93° 09′ 29″ E, below Mount Phabipa, it turns north and becomes the international border between India and Myanmar. It flows north to 22° 47′ 09″ N 93° 05′ 47″ E, where the international border continues north along the Tyao River, and the Boinu heads northwest into Mizoram State, at which point it is known as the Kaladan.
At 22° 56′ 21″ N 92° 58′ 55″ E it reaches its northernmost point, and turns south west, is joined by the Tuichong River from the right and then heads south.[NF 46-6 "Chittagong, Pakistan"](_blank)
U.S. Army Map Service topographic map 1:250,000, 1955, first printing March 1960 The Kaladan is joined from the right by the Mat River at 22° 43′ 39″ N, 92° 54′ 46″ E. It continues south and is joined by the Kawrthingdeng River from the right. It again enters Chin State, at Raithaw Ferry, 22° 03′ 40″ N 92° 51′ 05″ E, just northwest of Khenkhar. The Mi River joins from the left at 21° 06′ 56″ N 92° 57′ 42″ E. At Ngame the river enters the Rakhine State of Myanmar and continues south to Sittwe
Sittwe (; ; formerly Akyab) is the capital of Rakhine State, Myanmar (Burma). Sittwe, pronounced ''sait-tway'' in the Rakhine language, is located on an estuarial island created at the confluence of the Kaladan, Mayu, and Lay Mro rivers empt ...
where it enters the Bay of Bengal.
Development
At present, the Kaladan is the fifth largest river in the world that is completely unfragmented by dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...
s anywhere in its catchment, behind only the Fly, Mamberamo
The Mamberamo (''Indonesian: Sungai Mamberamo'') is the second longest river on the island of New Guinea, after Sepik River (1,146 km) and third largest in Oceania by discharge (5,500 m3/s) volume after Fly River (7,500 m3/s) and Sepik (7,000 m3/ ...
and Sepik
The Sepik () is the longest river on the island of New Guinea, and the second largest in Oceania by discharge volume after the Fly River. The majority of the river flows through the Papua New Guinea (PNG) provinces of Sandaun (formerly West Se ...
in New Guinea and the Pechora
Pechora (russian: Печо́ра; kv, Печӧра, ''Pećöra'') is a town in the Komi Republic, Russia, located on the Pechora River, west of and near the northern Ural Mountains. The area of the town is . Population:
History
Pechora was ...
in Russia. Nonetheless, the governments of India and Myanmar are working on a US$500 million, '' Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project'' that will facilitate trade between the two nations. The project includes the construction of the US$120 million deepwater Sittwe Port at the mouth of the river, dredging of the Kaladan River to enable cargo vessels to navigate the river from Sittwe to Mizoram, the construction of a river port at Paletwa, as well as the widening and upgrade of highways between Paletwa and Myeikwa on the Indo-Myanmar border. India undertook the development of the 158 km river boat route from Sittwe
Sittwe (; ; formerly Akyab) is the capital of Rakhine State, Myanmar (Burma). Sittwe, pronounced ''sait-tway'' in the Rakhine language, is located on an estuarial island created at the confluence of the Kaladan, Mayu, and Lay Mro rivers empt ...
seaport to the Inland Water Terminal (IWT) and hydropower project at Paletwa jetty via the Kaladan River in Myanmar.[India awards road contract to complete Kaladan project in Myanmar]
Business Line, 9 June 2017.[ River dredging and a jetty upgrade were completed in June 2017.]
/ref> There is at least one river lock for navigation.[India's connectivity to Myanmar]
The project will open up not only Mizoram but all of India's northeastern states as hinterland for the Sittwe Port. Construction for the port started in 2010 and is expected to be completed by mid-2020.
Development of the river is also being negotiated with the Shwe Gas Project for economic enhancement
See also
* Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project
* East-West Industrial Corridor Highway, Arunachal Pradesh
East-West Industrial Corridor Highway of Arunachal Pradesh, a 2-lane and 966.78 km long including existing 274.20 km Pasighat-Manmao route, is a proposed highway across lower foothills of Arunachal Pradesh state in India from Bhairabkunda in As ...
* Arunachal Border Highway
* Asian Highway Network
* India-Myanmar-Thailand Friendship Highway
References
External links
"Boinu Hydroelectric Project (640 MW)"
Ministry of Power, Government of India
Kaladan.com - news covering Indo-Myanmar Kaladan project
{{Rakhine State, state=collapsed
Rivers of Myanmar
Rivers of Mizoram
International rivers of Asia
India–Myanmar border
Bay of Bengal
Rakhine State
Sittwe
Rivers of India