KAMPONG SPEU: National Road No. 51, which used to be the economic road of Udong town, connecting to the Cambodian sea road, has now been rebuilt and inaugurated for use again under the presidency of Prime Minister Hun Sen. The 37.95-kilometer long road from connects Udong in Kandal province to Thnal Toteung in Kampong Speu province. The road was built from a concessional grant provided by the People's Republic of China, worth more than $40 million dollars, and was built from June 2017 to August 2019.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony for National Road No. 51 on Friday morning, the Minister of Public Works and Transport, Senior Minister Sun Chanthol, said that this road has now become an important economic route to promote transportation and industry, as the area is rich in handicraft industries, large enterprises, and residential buildings, which have created many jobs for the people living along this road.
He added that the road acts as a strategic link with the Asian Highway to the Thai border and to the seaport of Sihanoukville, as well as to Kampot and Kep provinces, which are Cambodia's natural tourism destinations.
He said, "National Road No. 51 is another new achievement born of the natural bond, friendship and full cooperation between the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Government of the People's Republic of China, granted to the people of Kandal and Kampong Speu provinces, as well as to people across the whole country, for general and long-term use.”
The economic and trade adviser at the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia, Wu Kukuan, said at the ceremony that China and Cambodia have made great achievements in early 2022, including the establishment of free trade and the construction of roads, bridges, and hospitals. He said that more new achievements will be possible from the China-Cambodia relationship in the future.
He further stated, "A few days ago, during a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Hun Sen, His Excellency Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, emphasized that the relationship between China and Cambodia has been tested and is now stronger and more inseparable in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is a rare occurrence of the century."
Residents living along National Road No. 51 expressed their happiness for the new road, with many saying that the new road allows them to travel more easily and also attracts more factories and enterprises to become established in the area, providing more jobs to people in the area and reducing outward migration.
Mai, a 63-year-old resident of Sambo commune, Samrong Tong district, told EAC News that in the past, the road was very difficult to use and had lot of damage, but now that the government has decided to rebuild it, the road has now made it much easier for people to travel, is bringing in more potential job opportunities, and is also making it easier for her children to find and commute to work.
She said, "As far as I’ve known, since 1979, this road has never been good. Only now the road is seeing development. The Prime Minister made this road, and everyone is happy, easy riding.”
Another resident, 43-year-old Touch Vannak, living in Thmor Koul village, Sambour commune, Samrong Tong district, said he was very happy with the new changes to the road.
He said, “Now there are many changes to the roads. Before it was muddy and difficult to travel on, but now we see that it’s nice and smooth. I didn’t realize that the Prime Minister also noticed this and was interested [in improving the road]. Now I'm really happy!”
Prime Minister Hun Sen said at the inauguration ceremony that this road could act as a detour line to Phnom Penh, which not only benefits the people living in the area, but also the people in other provinces, as it allows them to travel and transport goods more easily without needing to cross through Phnom Penh.
The Prime Minister recalled that this road was part of King Ang Duong’s vision in 1851 to 1852, who built this road to connect to the sea of in Kampot province.
He said, "This road connects our city with the seaport in Kampot province. That is why there are crossroads. This road is still a strategic road in the present connection, giving us the opportunity to connect National Road No. 5 on one side and National Road No. 4 on the other, to facilitate travel and transportation of our people.”
National Road No. 51 was originally built between 2003-2004, however, in 2009, the road suffered a lot of damage due to increased usage and transportation activities. For many years the road only received small fixes and maintenance, until 2017, when the Royal Government of Cambodia decided to undergo full-scale repairs and restoration. The road has now been widened from 7 meters to 17 meters, having two lanes and other road safety equipment to help road users stay safe.
PHOTO: EAC NEWS
