The Ministry of Public Works and Transport has marked the completion of renovations and expansion of a stretch of National Road 5, a part of Asian Highway 1, linking Battambang town to the Banteay Meanchey provincial capital of Sisophon.

The 84.74km stretch of the highway – part of the Asian Highway Network’s longest route which connects Cambodia to Thailand, Myanmar and China – was spruced up and widened at a cost of $160.6 million, according to ministry secretary of state Toch Chan Kosal.

Chan Kosal said during a ceremony commemorating the occasion in Battambang on September 23 that the road, which saw renovations kick off in March 2018, now has four lanes and a width of 23m.

In Battambang, the project covered 46.3km of road – a 23.92km detour of the town, with royal poincianas (Delonix regia) planted on either side, and a 22.35km segment of National Road 5 with a median strip lined with Thai crepe myrtles (Lagerstroemia floribunda).

“From the private property boundary up to the road shoulder, any construction by people is forbidden because that would spoil the beauty of the road. A total of 6,000 royal poinciana trees have been planted. The government has already bought land along the road from residents and planted the trees to beautify the road,” he said.

He warned that the provincial authorities will take action against any individual who causes damage to the road.

According to the provincial hall, this stretch of the national road has been constructed in parts by two construction companies -- 46.27km by Tekken-Taiyo Joint Venture and 38.47km by Daiho-Asanuma Joint Venture.

The technical aspect of the construction was overseen by KEI-OCG-KCI Joint Venture and KCEC & TANCONS.