A Chinese-built bridge project across Mekong River in Cambodia on Friday started underwater work here in the southeastern part of the capital Phnom Penh.

The 1.6-kilometer-long concrete bridge, along with a 2.1-kilometer-long connecting road, will be built by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the construction is expected to be completed in 48 months.

Speaking at the event, So Victor, secretary of state of the Cambodian Ministry of Public Works and Transport, said the bridge will be beneficial to Cambodia's infrastructure development, contributing to promoting economic growth and enhancing regional connectivity.

CRBC Cambodia Office's executive general manager Wu Jinhai said the project is another fruit of Cambodia-China cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and is a new testament to iron-clad friendship and diamond hexagon cooperation between the two countries.

He said the CRBC will actively promote a green development approach and develop a quality-based green model project.

The bridge project links Kean Svay and Lvea Aem districts in Kandal province.

Locals were delighted to see the construction work started, saying that it will improve the efficiency of people's travel, saving them both time and money.

"This bridge project is very important for common people as well as civil servants to travel and to communicate with each other," Sok Khna, a 53-year-old resident in Kean Svay district, told Xinhua.

"More importantly, people will be able to travel across the bridge for free of charge, contributing to reducing poverty," he added.

Khna said currently, people travel across the river by ferry, costing them both time and money.

"For ferry services, it costs 1,000 riel (0.25 U.S. dollars) for a motorcycle and 10,000 riel (2.5 U.S. dollars) for a car, and it takes about half an hour to cross the river," he said.

Khat Vichara, a 21-year-old resident in Kean Svay district, said "When this bridge is constructed, it will surely provide a lot of advantages to me and other passengers, facilitating our travel, reducing our expense, and saving our time."