The Phnom Penh Governor will launch the pedestrian street along the riverside by the end of January 2025. It starts in front of Cambodia Post Office and stretches to the Royal Palace.
The Municipal Administration held a meeting on Wednesday, to review the Walking Street project, which was led by Khuong Sreng, Governor of Phnom Penh, and attended by representatives from the ministry of tourism, Cambodia Post, and Electricite du Cambodge on Wednesday at City Hall.
The administration stated that the first priority is the food section of Walking Street and if there are any other tasks that need attention, they would be addressed accordingly. Another matter raised at the meeting was establishing an inter-ministerial working group to facilitate the pedestrian walkway project.
Sreng said the project will start by opening the pedestrian street every Friday and weekends with restrictions placed on all vehicles during this time. Facilities, such as parking areas, public restrooms, and arrangements for street vendors will have to be set up to ensure the project runs smoothly and it gain more support from the public.
In the meeting, Sreng noted that Walking Street was planned a long time ago but the project stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and budget issues. However, the government has instructed City Hall to attract tourists, reduce traffic congestion, and improve Phnom Penh’s appeal.
He explained that the project was first considered in 2019, but was delayed. Now, the Phnom Penh Municipal Administration has decided to restart the project to attract both local and international tourists.
Sreng said that apart from City Hall, there are other institutions involved in this project, including Cambodia Post, Electricite du Cambodge, and the Ministry of Tourism.
Sam Piseth, Director of the Department of Public Works and Transport in Phnom Penh, said the department’s secretariat team is working with local residents to promote awareness about the benefits of this pedestrian street, which is divided into three zones, to encourage public participation.
