KRATIE: The Ministry of Public Works and Transport held a groundbreaking ceremony for the upgrading and repair of National Road No. 73 and two provincial roads in Kratie province on Tuesday morning, 4 April 2023, under the chairmanship of the Minister of National Assembly-Senate Relations and Inspection, DPM Men Sam An.

The Minister of Public Works and Transport, Senior Minister Sun Chanthol, stated that the project to upgrade and repair National Road No. 73 and two provincial roads in Kratie province cover a total length of 98 km and is expected to cost about US $40 million. Funding for this project falls under the framework of World Bank concessional loans, and includes additional contributions from the Royal Government of Cambodia for impact mitigation, demining, and other tax related costs. The three-lane road rehabilitation project is scheduled to run for 18 months.

Senior Minister Sun Chanthol expects the three roads to contribute to improving the country's connections to the main national road network, connecting the capital with border areas.

He pointed out that 49.81 km of National Road No. 73, from the intersection of Pratheat village in Tbong Khmum district to Kampong Reang bridge at the Kratie provincial border, will be rehabilitated and upgraded to a 5 cm-thick AC paved road and 20 cm-thick reinforced concrete pavement that is 10-13 m wide (for two lanes) and 15.7-16 m wide (for four lanes in the city).

Provincial roads 377 and 377A are 48.6 km long in total. Provincial Road 377 is 35 km and goes from the Preap Sar roundabout to Sambo district, while Provincial Road 377A is 13.6 km long from Sandan market to Sangkom village in Sambo district. These two provincial roads will be rehabilitated, expanded and upgraded with 5 cm thick AC concrete and 20 cm thick reinforced concrete pavement, making the road 7-11 meters wide, with two lanes. There will also be nine new bridges constructed along provincial road 377.

The Minister said that Provincial roads 377 and 377A are connected from Preap Sar roundabout to Prek Kampi eco-tourism and historical tourism near the 100-Column Pagoda, further connecting to National Road No. 7, which passes through Stung Treng, Ratanakkiri and Mondulkiri provinces.

He further stated that the project to upgrade and repair the three roads was launched in direct response to their current dilapidated condition, especially to address the risk of floods that occur every rainy season.

Senior Minister Sun Chanthol added that these three roads are important economic lines that connect to other major national road networks in the country, connecting the capital with the northeastern provinces and allowing for travel to the different cities, economic zones and border areas of Cambodia.