PHNOM PENH: Cambodian Transport Minister Sun Chanthol has told officials he wants a planned water taxi service operating on the Tonle Sap and Tonle Bassac rivers by April. Mr Chanthol said in a ministry Facebook post on Wednesday that a waterway service for commuters would ease traffic congestion in Phnom Penh and help reduce the number of traffic accidents. He wants the general department of transport to ensure the service is launched in Phnom Penh and Kandal province to the southeast before the Khmer New Year in April, the Khmer Times reported. “Each docking station must connect with public bus stops to make it easy for passengers,” Mr Chanthol said. Earlier this year, then Phnom Penh governor Pa Socheatvong confirmed the water taxi service will be run by City Hall and cost an estimated US$22 million. The service will run on 25 kilometres of waterways from the Prek Phnov bridge on the northern outskirts of Phnom Penh south to Takhmao City in Kandal province via the Tonle Sap and Tonle Bassac rivers. Under the plan, 20 passenger boats will be used for the service, running four times daily. Each boat will carry up to 90 passengers and travel at a maximum 30 kilometres per hour. There will be nine water-taxi service stations on the waterway.