Easing Yangon traffic

The European Union has committed more than 660,000 euros toward Yangon redevelopment with an Italian organisation offering to assist the city in the upgrades.

The commitments were made at Yangon City Hall during what was billed as the "European Union’s project for Yangon City Development Planning." EU’s commitment is 75 per cent of the project which is totally valued at 884,325 euros.

The Italian City of Turin and two Italian NGOs - Information Technology for Humanitarian Assistance Cooperation and Action and CESVI – will advise the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC), according to the Information Ministry.

The proposed redevelopment project will include planning for efficient traffic control, improving research and data collection, sharing of technology and solutions as well as educating the public.

"Chosen staff from the YCDC need to go to Italy to observe and learn closely," said Win Naing Htun assistant head of the YCDC's Urban Planning Department. "There also needs to be workshops that include other organisations and the public in order to build trust between them and the YCDC.

"Forty chosen traffic police will participate in lessons on using GIS (Geographic Information System) technology. There are also 40 days of education programmes planned to be held at 20 different schools."

Tamwe and Thingangyun Townships have been chosen as pilots for the project. Under the project, which started on February 1 until January 2017, they will receive public education programmes in regards to traffic jams. There are also plans for public service radio broadcasts to educate the public.

The project was announced at a workshop where the main components of the project were unveiled to raise public awareness on the sustainable urban mobility planning.

According to Aung Khine Tun, senior external relations coordinator of CESVI, the project aims to strengthen the capacities of the city and promote citizen participation in ensuring a sustainable urban environment.

The EU’s contribution accounts for 75 per cent of the project cost, while other project partners will contribute the remaining 25 per cent. The YCDC and project partners said the project will improve YCDC’s strategic planning capacity through the transfer of good practices and models encourage community participation in decision-making and dialogues with local authorities. To the partners, lessons learned from Europe may be applicable in Myanmar, particularly on road safety, which is a current priority for the EU.