(Phnom Penh): Cambodia launched a government-backed initiative to install solar-powered street lights along about 1,000 kilometres of national roads, urban streets, and tourist areas across 13 capital and provincial administrations.

The project was formalised on Tuesday (Jul. 14) through an MoU signed by the Ministries of Mines and Energy and Public Works and Transport, Electricité du Cambodge (EDC), the Phnom Penh Capital Administration, and 12 provincial administrations.

This agreement formalises their cooperation in installing solar-powered street lighting systems across national roads, public thoroughfares, urban centres, and tourist destinations.

Backed by USD 5 million from EDC's government-allocated social fund, the project will expand on the successful pilot along National Road No. 5 in Pursat Province.

Installation will cover sections of National Roads 5, 6, 7, and 21, Phnom Penh Ring Roads 2 and 3, as well as selected urban roads and tourist destinations. Work is expected to be completed within two years, after which the infrastructure will be handed over to relevant authorities for operation and maintenance.

Leaders from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, EDC, and the participating administrations expressed strong confidence that this MoU will yield substantial benefits for citizens by enhancing public safety, improving urban aesthetics, and fostering better living conditions.

They added that the project will improve road safety, reduce traffic accidents and crime, enhance urban landscapes, and support tourism and nighttime economic activity.
=FRESH NEWS