Kohima, Aug. 5: One village donates money to Myanmar residents to build roads, another relocates itself to make the most of emerging trade avenues. Villagers in the Meluri area of Nagaland have finally woken up to the potential of trade with their neighbours across the Indo-Myanmar border.

Early this year, inhabitants of 25 Naga villages on the international border with Myanmar raised money for villagers across the border to build roads. Results are showing and a 10-km stretch of Myanmarese territory from the international border is now motorable.

People of Avankhung, a hamlet of 20-odd houses, have gone a step ahead and shifted lock, stock and barrel 4 km closer to the border. ?It makes sense. Business will begin shortly and since the land near the upcoming international trade centre belongs to Avankhung, the villagers shifted to take advantage of the border trade,? said Nagaland legislator Yitachu.

Incidentally, a team of senior officials from the Union commerce ministry had visited the area in April this year to assess the prospects of an international trade centre in Meluri. Yitachu claimed this area was the only viable route for trade with Myanmar.

Partly true, admit observers, as the international trade centre at Longwa in Mon district is affected by the absence of roads in Myanmar. On the contrary, in Meruli, there is an 18-km NEC road being built from the border to Phongkhungri. The council has already sanctioned Rs 6 crore for the construction of the Rs 12-crore project.

For those willing to shift, there are other benefits, too. As the villagers move, they will be closer to the terrace fields and will save time and resources in agriculture, besides earning an advantage in business.