Phuket City Mayor Saroj Angkanapilas announced in a release issued earlier this week that the full budget for the project is B59.723 million.
The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) is providing B49.723mn, while Phuket Municipality, responsible for roads, sidewalks and electrical and lighting systems along the road, is providing the remaining B10mn.
A contractor has already been selected and the telecommunications operators involved are ready, Mayor Saroj said.
The 600m of Phuket Rd along which the cables will be installed underground is from the Bang Neow Intersection with Ong Sim Phai Rd southwards to Soi Korpai, located opposite Phuket Customs House, about 150m north of the Phuket Immigration Office.
The PEA plan is for the project to take 300 days, from July this year through to April next year.
The continuing projects to install electrical and communications cables underground throughout Phuket City have been rolled out section by section for nearly 10 years, to much praise by local residents and tourists, noting how the move has made the heart of Phuket Town much more attractive.
“Having the cables underground makes the electrical system safer, and makes the area more beautiful,” Mayor Saroj said.
“It also supports the expansion of the city in the future. It is beneficial to the people as a whole, and enhances the quality of life for the people living in Phuket Tow, and it creates an image of Phuket as a Smart City, with a pleasant landscape. It also supports the growth of tourism businesses in the future,” he added.