(a) whether the Government has signed an agreement to operationalise road link from Moreh (India) to Mae Sot (Thailand) to enhance regional cooperation;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the benefits likely to be accrued therefrom; and
(c) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government for creating effective and credible infrastructure links to enhance regional cooperation between South Asia and Southeast Asia?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI PON. RADHAKRISHNAN)
(a) to (c) No agreement covering motor vehicles movement through the trilateral highway connecting Moreh in India to Mae Sot in Thailand has been signed so far. For enhancing regional connectivity by road in South and South East Asia, the following initiatives have been taken by the Government:
(i) The Transport Ministers of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) signed the BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) for regulating and enabling passenger, personal and cargo vehicle cross border traffic in the four countries on 15th June, 2015 at Thimphu in Bhutan.
(ii) Negotiations for finalizing a similar Motor Vehicles Agreement among India, Myanmar and Thailand (IMT) for enhanced regional connectivity through road transportation have been held and consensus on the text of the MVA evolved by the three countries
These agreements will facilitate movement of cargo and passengers (including personal vehicles) in and through the North-East region of India to and from Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal and on the India-Myanmar-Thailand road corridor, enhancing intra-regional and inter-regional trade and commerce in the region.
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