Appraisal of geoenvironmental threats posed by IndoMyanmar Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) in southern Mizoram, India

Abstract

Mizoram, the southernmost of the seven sister States in Northeastern India, shares borders with Tripura, Assam, Manipur, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Despite its challenging connectivity to mainland India, the region holds strategic geographic advantages. The Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) was initiated in 2008 to enhance trade and connectivity between India’s northeastern States and the rest of the world via the Sittwe port in Myanmar. This project includes the development of a 100 km highway from Lawngtlai, Mizoram to the Myanmar border and navigable waterways linking the Kaladan River to inland transport networks. Geologically, the Kaladan river traverses Oligocene-Miocene sandstones and shales with its course passing through semi-evergreen and bamboo forests. The project, however poses significant environmental challenges including large-scale dredging (2 million cubic meters of sediment), deforestation and altered river nutrient cycles. Increased soil erosion due to high rainfall (254–350 cm annually) threatens aquatic biodiversity and navigation. Sustainable mitigation strategies such as silt traps, riparian vegetation restoration and erosion control using dirt glue polymer are essential to balance development with ecological preservation. Achieving socio-economic growth while maintaining environmental equilibrium remains a critical challenge for the region.