Kohima, June 13: Aung Win and his nine-member team from Myanmar walked miles to cross over to the Indian side to see the ongoing economic development, which would benefit their country too.

Win, a Naga legislator from Layshi in Myanmar, and his team are in Nagaland to thank the central and state governments for taking up work to bring the two countries closer.

Yesterday, the delegation oversaw work at the International Trade Centre at Avangkhu in Phek district, road construction from Avangkhu to Layshi funded by the North Eastern Council (NEC) and the inauguration of a mineral bridge over the Tizu river.

Win said the Myanmar government is making efforts for faster development in Sagaing region, inhabited by Nagas.

He said connectivity between the two countries would benefit the community in both the countries.

The Nagaland minister for school education, Yitachu, minister for rural development C.L. John and state government officials accompanied the team.

Officials from both countries admitted that a lot of investment is required for the purpose owing to the hilly and mountainous terrain.

People living along the international border walk for hours to reach Layshi in Myanmar, some 35km from the boundary, to buy essential items rather than travel to Meluri on the Indian side, over 120km away.

Yitachu said connectivity between the two countries would lead to socio-economic development. He said Sagaing, the second largest state in Myanmar, is rich in minerals and agriculture.

He said the Centre planned to open more roads from Nagaland to Myanmar to boost economic ties. The Nagas in the state could import food from Sagaing, while India could export hardware items, medicines and textiles, he added.

Speaking during the inauguration of the mineral bridge, Yitachu said the Naga people could not afford to remain behind and for that development has to continue in both the countries.

The mineral bridge, the longest over the Tizu, was completed much ahead of the scheduled date.

The bridge will not only connect Phek district and a part of Kiphire district, but also link Myanmar. The bridge and the road construction from Meluri sub-division to Mimi village in Kiphire district will facilitate exploration of minerals like limestone and magnetite.

Geologists are also investigating the presence of gold and other minerals in the area. Meluri sub-division and Kiphire district have the highest deposit of minerals in Nagaland.

John inaugurated another bridge at Chizuti.

Apart from this, roads connecting the trade centre with Longwa in Mon district and Pangsha in Tuensang district have also been opened. Officials said more roads connecting two countries are in the pipeline.

"The Centre's objective is to make Nagaland a corridor of Southeast Asia," Yitachu said.

Kiphire MLA Torechu asked people to extend support to the state government for mineral exploration, which, in turn, would lead to speedy development in the mineral-rich areas.

State geology and mining department officials said three more mineral roads would be constructed.

The two countries are also conducting a feasibility survey for waterway connectivity through the Tizu, which flows into the Chindwin in Myanmar.