The construction of the $1.9 billion Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, which broke ground at the end of March, is on track to be completed by early 2023, Ministry of Public Works and Transport spokesman Vasim Sorya said on Monday.

The 190km high-speed highway linking the capital to the coastal Preah Sihanouk province is being invested in by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) through Cambodian PPSHV Expressway Co Ltd.

Malaysian engineering consultancy Minconsult Sdn Bhd is providing technical construction consultancy and advisory services on the project.

It is being constructed under the build-operate-transfer model, which is a form of project financing where the public sector grants concessions to a private entity to build and operate projects.

Sorya told The Post that progress on the project has been steady since it broke ground, with it currently five per cent complete.

He said that with the road set to be an important economic corridor, its scheduled completion was constantly being urged by top ministry officials.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, who presided over the project’s groundbreaking ceremony, said the Kingdom required further financial support to build infrastructure to accommodate its growing economy.

With its continued financial assistance, he said, China is one of the Kingdom’s main development partners, contributing greatly to economic growth and poverty reduction.http://https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/pp-shv-expressway-track-completion-early-2023