YANGON, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's Construction Ministry has invited expression of interest from local and international firms for a ring road expressway in Yangon, the ministry said in a statement on Monday.

The 47.5-km elevated four-lane road will connect downtown Yangon, Yangon Port, Yangon International Airport, Mingalardon Industrial Park and the Yangon-Mandalay expressway.

The firms are to design, engineer, finance, construct, operate and maintain the project through a long-term through a public-private partnership (PPP) concession agreement.

The ministry set June 29 as closing date for sending the expression of interest by the firms.

The selection of PPP firms will be done through an international competitive tender expected to commence later this year.

Myanmar has laid out new urban development projects of Yangon region inviting local and foreign entrepreneurs to invest in the master plan through a recent Yangon Investment Forum held in the commercial city.

With a national road network, the Yangon urban structure will be decentralized to outer areas or to southern seaport.