Outing Around Butaryone Street

A worker in unexciting blue uniform hastily is pushing two red-and-white iron barricades with the force of all his muscles. He's manually blocking the junction on either side of a double-lane railway line moments before the train is passing through the junction. In the past, a nearby Ywar Ma junction even has one of its gates so smaller than the width of the newly paved concrete road that an additional rusted iron rod is fastened at the edge of the gate in order for commuters not to pass the railroad in danger of imminent train accident. Once the gates are reopened manually by the worker, cars, tricycles, bicycles and crowds of people rushed shoulder to shoulder crossing towards the other side.

That's the view of the busy evening at Butaryone Street, Hlaing Township, around six miles north of downtown Yangon. It's a bit unsettling to see such a view of most junctions between motor roads and railroads intercepted like this in Yangon. Without Skytrain or advanced Mass Rapid Transport, some rare overhead bridges are present only in few areas like Kyaukyedwin, Narnataw, Bayint Naung and Hledan.  

Butaryone (Rail Station) Street has got bus stations in its own name, referring to nearby Kamaryut Station. There are many bus stations in Yangon widely claiming the names of nearby public places, like Sardike, Kyaung-shay, Butaryone, etc. Butaryone street stretches from Yangon-Insein road, crossing Baho Road, and links with Bayintnaung Road just close to Yangon Riverbank. It would take about 40 minutes to stroll along the street from one end to another.

A decade before, I visited a friend living near Butaryone station, and thought that the place is so faraway from downtown. Now it seems like a citycentre itself, with so many shops, buildings and unyielding traffic jams. Many new 5- to 7-storey buildings and several ongoing construction sites nearby. Even ABC convenience stores open four of its chain stores along the Road, so also other stores like CityExpress, Grab&Go, and many other family businesses. Teashops proudly displaying a huge red Coca-Cola fridge up front are mostly crowded and entertain customers with popular Skynet TV drama series, and during weekends, Premier League matches on a medium LCD. Two huge public markets including a well-known Hlaing Bazaar even block the Road especially at rush hours, let alone several smaller hawkers selling on spanning wide lanes. Many small businesses include mobile phone shops, beauty parlors, those selling construction tools, clothes, shoes, rice and groceries, beauty products, and food & drinks.

One bad thing to go around Butaryone Street is in rainy season when the road is flooded in some parts near Baho Road not far from railway lines. I could still remember I had to pass through knee-level water with soaked trouses and an umbrella in most evening after a few hours of afternoon rain. There were usually shallow water at the center of tar mac but don't think of going along there as many vehicles were also competing to take those threaded areas.

Via Bayintnaung Road, several bus lines exist, including number 34, 39, 44, 333, and then some. You can directly go to Kabaraye, Dnyingone, Myinigone, Shwedagon, Tarmway, Sulay, Botahtaung, everywhere via this main road. Many more jam-packed bus lines are moving to and fro along Insein Road near the junction with Butaryone Street. Howerver there is only one bus line 204 goes through Baho Road but it also passes Hledan, Sanchaung, Shwedagon, Bogyoke Market, etc. At the time of huge traffic jam on either side Butaryone Street, you'll see unusual buses, hiluxes, minibuses also coming into this Baho Road as the drivers couldn't resist a long wait at traffic blocks perhaps on Bayintnaung Road.

Until midnight, there can be heard shallow sirens of cargo or passenger ships travelling along nearby Hlaing River commonly known as Yangon River on the other side of Bayintnaung Road, or sirens of trains, and loud hums of car engines continuously passing along the road. Only a few hours of sound sleep at midnight and around 4 am you'll start to hear the beginning journey of public trains for vegetables sellers, followed by voices of alms donation to a row of monks at dawn; There are two famous monasteries Ywar Ma Monastery and Chaung Wa Monastery although it's not sure if the monks are from these famous monasteries or other smaller kyaung-tikes. Then at the first rays of sunlight, several hawkers will loudly sell sticky rice, boiled peas, breakfast snacks, flowers, and school ferries also hailing for students to come along. That's the beginning of another day's rustling scene for Butaryone Street, a worth-visiting showcase for modern Yangon.