Yangon traffic woes blamed on Myanmar import of nearly 200,000 cars

Yangon traffic woes blamed on Myanmar import of nearly 200,000 cars

Published on Wednesday, 18 September 2013 01:17

 

Traffic jam seen on Maha Bandoola Street in downtown Yangon on September 14. (Photo-EMG)

Myanmar has imported nearly 200,000 automobiles since the government's new car replacement scheme began two years ago according to Yangon Region chief minister Myint Swe.
As a result, he says, traffic congestion has become the number one problem in the country's former capital.
Most of the imported cars were added to the streets of Yangon, which before the scheme had just over 100,000 cars in circulation.
Myint Swe said that Yangon now has 303,840 cars on its streets.
"All new cars were imported into Yangon. Over the past two years, nearly 200,000 new cars have been added. So now the most common problem is traffic congestion—we receive frequent complaints about it. Sometimes traffic jams in this city last two or three hours. Traffic police can only do so much to handle the issue," he said.
As well as traffic jams, most Yangon Region residents face daily problems such as careless parking and lack of parking spaces, bad drivers, and inadequate service by traffic police.
Meanwhile, another 5,000 new cars are said to sitting at Thilawa Port and in car showrooms in Yangon, awaiting their new owners.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/yangon-traffic-woes-blamed-on-myanmar-import-of-nearly-200000-cars/