News reports from Burma say the government may have started a large construction project in the mountainous central region of the country, leading to speculation that some government agencies may relocate.
Residents near Pyinmana say workers are building bunkers, hospitals, office buildings, underground tunnels and military airstrips. The strategic location is some 150 kilometers north of the capital city Rangoon -- much closer to Burma's mountainous northern states and the strongholds of ethnic minority insurgents.
Pyinmana was also the military headquarters of Burma's resistance movement against the occupying Japanese forces during World War Two.
Security analysts say Burma's autocratic military rulers may fear an Iraq-style invasion by the United States.
They say the ruling generals may want a more secure military command center than their headquarters in Rangoon.