Yangon-Mandalay Highway Police Force working with health personnel in COVID-19 measures
Yangon-Mandalay Highway Police Force has joined the health personnel who are taking measures to get all cars travelling on the highway clear from COVID-19, according to an official of the Highway Police Force.
“COVID-19 testing is being performed by doctors of Yangon Region Health Depart-ment at a place on the highway which is about six furlongs away from the entrance to Yangon. Our Highway Police Force performed duties not to have traffic jams on the highway when cars stop for the testing and to take security measures there. In Mandalay Region, health personnel of Meiktila Township Health Department are carrying out a similar task at the toll-gate at 284 Mile Post. Our duties are to take security measures there,” said Police Captain Myo Lin Thant of the Highway Police Force.
It is learnt that cars travelling on Yangon-Mandalay Highway were not stopped without any specific directive as the highway is a public road. Vehicles are allowed to travel on the road with arrangements of regions concerned.
“The highway was construc-ted without passing through any town or village. There are some local roads crossing over the highway to communicate between towns and villages on either side of the highway. The highway had some feeder roads to cities such as Nay Pyi Taw, Bago and DaikU. Checkpoints are located on those fee-der roads with arrangements of regional administration co-uncils and health departments concerned. Apart from those checkpoints, there is no check-point on the highway. Everyone could use the highway, and presently cars are travelling on the highway. The thing is that there is a limit on hours to use it. In Yangon Region, the limit is between 8 pm to 4 am. We do not allow cars to use the highway within the time limit. Within the time limit, cars are to stop and park at safe places near police stations or posts. For this, we are cooperating with them,” he said.
Vehicles carrying important goods such as meat and eggs have been allowed to use the highway since the highway was put into service. Such vehicles are regularly travelling on the highway in accordance with directives of regions and townships concerned. The peo-ple using the highway need to drive their vehicles at a speed limit to avoid accidents and ensure safety of the passengers on their vehicles all the time, especially in the period of COVID-19 outbreak.
Su Latt