The Historical Road for Common Prosperity of South East Asia
Dr (Mrs) Juri Gogoi Konwar

Abstract
During the Second World War, the road from Ledo, North East Frontier rail station of Assam, India, to Kunming of Yunnan province, China via Lekhapani, Jairampur, Nampong and Pangsau pass of Patkai range, Shindbwiyang, Upper Chindwin, Hukawng and Mogaung valleys, Bhamo, Burma (Myanmar) road and then to Wanting, at China border was constructed by the Allied Forces for maintaining military supply by road. Starting on December 1, 1942 the construction was completed on May 20, 1945. The road passed through some of the most difficult mountainous terrains of the world having 700 bridges over big and small rivers. After the war, for some time the road was maintained, thereafter it remained to be almost completely neglected. In the light of ‘Open Market Policy’ adopted by the international community, desire of the South East Asian countries to have common economic prosperity and ‘Look East Policy’ of India, it is important for the concerned countries to reconstruct and reopen the road. The paper presents an account of its possible utilization for the socio-cultural and economic linkages of the connected and nearby countries for peace and prosperity.

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