Government Take Underground Transportation Projects into Consideration
Prime Minister Hun Manet inspects bridge contruction in Phnom Penh on Feb. 19. Photo: STPM/Telegram
- By Ung Chamroeun
- February 19, 2024 7:10 PM
PHNOM PENH – Amidst efforts to solve infrastructure problems, the government is now considering underground transportation projects, said Prime Minister Hun Manet.
He was speaking on Feb. 19 at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the new Bassac River bridge “Chak Angre Krom-Prek Pra”.
Such policy toward more transportation infrastructures is in line with the “Pentagonal Strategy-Phase 1” which prioritizes roads, people, water, electricity and technology.
Facilitating the transport of goods and people comes in support of the country’s growth and the well-being of the people, Hun Manet said at the ceremony.
“In addition to capacity building for public transportation, the government is also considering city ring road projects and underground transportation projects. I discussed ideas and plans with some foreign companies during my official visits to France and China,” he said.
“Chinese companies also examined the possibility of building light rail in Phnom Penh city.
“In addition to infrastructure, the government is also considering building more hotels, shopping malls, and parking lots in the city as there is not enough parking,” Manet said.
Even though traffic jams in Phnom Penh have become an issue during rush hours, the PM said there is no plan to relocate the capital city – to create a new city from scratch, more suitable to modern-day living standards – like in Indonesia or Myanmar. Cambodia’s capital has already been moved many times since the Angkor and post-Angkor era, he said.
“Phnom Penh is already a strategic place. In addition to expanding to the east, west, south, and the north, the government needs to find a way to solve the [urban congestion] in the central area,” he said.
Most notably, he said the government has no plans to restrict people from having children or buying cars or motorcycles. Thus, it is essential to consider transportation projects.
Recalling when he studied abroad during the 1990s, Manet said that his dream of seeing supermarkets and expressways available in Cambodia has become a reality.
Bassac River Bridge will connect Chak Angre Krom commune in Meanchey district to Prek Pra commune in Chbar Ampov district. It will be 845.7 meters long.
Once completed, it will be the eighth bridge crossing a River in Phnom Penh.
The construction work is expected to be finished after 42 months, in 2027. It is financed through a concessional loan from the Chinese government.
Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this story was translated by Rin Ousa for Cambodianess.
