Minister Directs Public Service Improvement, Highlights Infrastructure Progress

The Ministry of Public Works and Transport of Cambodia has issued specific directives aimed at enhancing the quality of public service delivery in the capital, Phnom Penh. Minister Peng Ponea, during a meeting with leaders and staff of the Phnom Penh Municipal Department of Public Works and Transport, urged for further improvements in the "accuracy, transparency, efficiency, and speed" of services provided to citizens. Specifically, he called for strengthened inspection of traffic signs, signals, and related equipment, thorough and timely maintenance and repair of road infrastructure, and cooperation with local authorities for road preservation. The Minister highlighted that the ministry has achieved numerous significant accomplishments during the 7th mandate of the government, which began in July 2023. These include financial reforms, the construction of National Road No. 5, Hun Sen Plaza, Techo Santepheap Beach Road, and the Funan-Techo Canal. Projects such as the Funan-Techo Multipurpose Water Resource Management Project have commenced, and National Road No. 23 (Koh Thom District), National Road No. 7 (Skun-Kampong Cham), National Road No. 73 and Provincial Roads No. 377 and 377A in Kratié Province have been inaugurated. The bridge crossing the Bassac River (Chak Angre Krom-Prek Pra) is currently 83% complete and is planned for provisional opening during the Khmer New Year in 2027, with full completion expected by mid-2027. The bridge crossing the Mekong River (Dei Et-Thom Kor) is about 60% complete and is projected to finish before the 2028 general election. National Road No. 10 is scheduled for official inauguration on October 1, 2026, National Road No. 48 on December 15, 2026, and the Kratié Mekong Bridge in early 2027. Furthermore, infrastructure development continues with projects like the Koh Sdech Bridge, urban infrastructure development, container terminals, mobile cranes, multipurpose port terminals, temporary customs warehouses, cold storage facilities, additional container berths (253 meters long), multipurpose berths at Kampot Port, and numerous national and provincial roads. The construction of drainage systems, wastewater treatment plants, and landfill sites in key provincial towns and urban centers is also progressing. The development of laws and legal documents to support the implementation of work in the public works and transport sector is also underway. The Minister further instructed thorough monitoring of roads in the capital, stricter enforcement against overloaded vehicles, and the adoption of new, modern technologies and equipment for technical inspections. He reiterated the call for local authorities to prevent encroachment on road reserves for private use and to continue their cooperation in road maintenance. Ek Khun Doeun, Deputy Governor of Phnom Penh, representing Governor Khuong Sreng, stated that infrastructure development in the capital is progressing well and will continue responsibly. Sam Piseth, Director of the Phnom Penh Municipal Department of Public Works and Transport, reported that the department has contributed to the development of Phnom Penh in the areas of public works, transport, and urban aesthetics. Phnom Penh has a total road network of 2,882 kilometers, comprising 141 kilometers of national roads, 61 kilometers of ring roads, and 2,640 kilometers of municipal roads. Additionally, there are 47 bridges with a total length of 17,100 meters, including 10 concrete bridges over rivers (4,993 meters), 2 cable-stayed bridges over rivers and 2 flyovers (1,466 meters), 11 flyovers (9,731 meters), 5 pedestrian bridges (397 meters), and 19 ordinary bridges (513 meters). The city also has 35 main canals totaling 119,945 meters.