Demanding that 20 metres of a median on National Road 6A in the capital be removed to ease commutes to and from their villages, about 45 people protested outside the Ministry of Public Works and Transport yesterday.

Villagers from Chroy Changvar district do not oppose the median itself, said Rith Dina, a Kean Klang village representative. However, other parts of the median enable traffic to cross over, but the city refuses to do the same for people in his village and Prek Leap village, in Prek Leap commune.

“We have seen many places for crossing, but most of those places are only in front of guesthouses, hotels and big shops; our access is blocked,” Dina said yesterday.

But according to District Governor Klang Huot, giving in to the demand could result in a situation in which, if he catered to everyone’s complaints about the barrier, its entire purpose would be lost.

“If our authorities were to agree with the villagers’ request, other villagers would protest and demand for crossing space in front of their houses as well,” Huot told protesters.