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Upgraded Kaoliew Road paves the way to development

The Daoheuangsong Bridge Construction Company is continuing to surface the 4km long Kaoliew Road in Sikhottabong district with concrete to develop the country and contribute to socio-economic development.

The commencement of the wet season has not affected construction so far and the project is progressing well ahead of the upcoming 450th anniversary celebrations of Vientiane as the nation's capital in November, said the project coordinator, Mr Southjai Douangdala, on Monday.

The company is carrying out the work at a cost of more than 60 billion kip and the government will repay the company over a five-year period after the project is completed.

The road is an important link between several villages and the city centre, which will contribute to developing the area and improving transport and trade.

The previous road had become badly damaged due to constant use by heavy vehicles and was in urgent need of repair.

Resurfacing is now about 60 percent complete and is scheduled to be finished before the end of October, Mr Southjai said.

He confirmed that work on the project is running on schedule and will be finished as planned.

A drainage system alongside the road has also been installed, Mr Southjai explained.

The project is being overseen by the Vientiane Public Works and Transport Department as one of several projects to improve the city in the lead up to the anniversary.

Some families living along the road have lost land to the project but will not receive compensation as the land was already reserved for road widening.

Traders living along the road are looking forward to the increased opportunities the new road will bring to their businesses.

With road building already underway, local merchants are operating in difficult conditions and some shops have temporarily closed. But they are confident that trade will return to normal once the project is finished at the end of this year.

Once the road is finished, business will pick up, more shops will open, and it will be easier to transport goods and crops to markets in the city.

An owner of a food stall along the road, Ms Chanh Keovilay, said many merchants along the road had suffered loss of income while the road was being repaved.

She said she has not closed her shop because she doesn't want to completely lose her income, but her revenues have dropped by more than half, from 200,000 or 300,000 kip a day to about 70,000 or 80,000 kip, because of the construction work.

She is looking forward to the day when the road is repaved so that her business can return to normal. She hopes her business will boom in the future as the new road brings more customers to the area.

Infrastructure improvement, including road construction is part of the government's strategy to develop the country and boost socio-economic expansion.

 
Source: VTETIEMS
By Meuangkham Noradeth
(Latest Update August 10, 2010)