Sunday, 30 March 2008

Municipality Thanks JICA for Improving Traffic in Phnom Penh

Posted on 29 March 2008.
The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 553

“Phnom Penh: In the afternoon of 27 March 2008, the Phnom Penh Municipality held a signing ceremony on the Study on Traffic Improvement in Phnom Penh between Phnom Penh City, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency [JICA]. The ceremony was held at the occasion of extending the project for one more year, starting from March 2009 until March 2010. According to the original plan, JICA was going to complete this project by March 2009. The project has been implemented by the Phnom Penh Municipality, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, and JICA since March 2007.

“The signing ceremony was attended by Secretary of State Chom Iek, representing the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, by the Phnom Penh Governor Kep Chuk Tema, who is also a direct advisor to Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen, and by Katsuta Hozumi, the leader of the study team of JICA in Tokyo, Japan, which is paying a visit to Phnom Penh, representing JICA. The director of the Phnom Penh Municipal Department of Public Works and Transport, governors and vice-governors from all of the seven districts, and other related institutions also participated in the meeting.

“An expert official from the the Phnom Penh municipality explained that the Study on Traffic Improvement in Phnom Penh, which has been and will be assisted by JICA, involves three important elements, such as providing education to drivers of the Phnom Penh Municipal Department of Public Works and Transport, engineering work to improve intersection roads such as roads with four traffic lights at Preah Kossomak Hospital and at the Stung Meanchey Bridge, and methods to enforce traffic laws for traffic police in Phnom Penh.

“At this occasion, Mr. Kep Chuk Tema thanked JICA for having helped to conduct the Study on Traffic Improvement in Phnom Penh and at the same time for having decided to extend it for another year, helping to improve the Phnom Penh traffic system. This is very good news for the residents of Phnom Penh.

“The city governor added, ‘Currently the traffic in Phnom Penh is getting busier and busier, because there has been a substantial increase in the number of people and the number of vehicles. Therefore, the Phnom Penh traffic system needs to be upgraded.’

“He continued that ‘after JICA has helped to improve the Phnom Penh traffic system, there are much less traffic congestions in Phnom Penh, and the city of Phnom Penh was successful in implementing this.’

“Mr. Katsuta Hozumi stressed that under the cooperation between the Phnom Penh Municipality and JICA during the last year, these efforts have led to improvements in the situation of the traffic in Phnom Penh.

“Mr. Chom Iek, a secretary of state at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, stated that ‘the ministry and the municipality are building a bridge near the Monivong Bridge, along National Road No. 2, and we are also reconstructing the Stung Meanchey Bridge near the Preah Kossomak traffic light, in order to minimize traffic congestions in Phnom Penh.”

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4553, 29.3.2008

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