The Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia on Tuesday said the construction of a two-lane, 23-km-long section of the domestic north-south road corridor has been “actively ongoing”.
The Ministry noted the works included installation of a lighting system, five bridges and tunnels, and rehabilitation of a bridge, with the project also including of a new 5-km access road to the country’s ski resort of Gudauri.
Minister Irakli Karseladze noted the development of the project continued at a “high pace”, adding a 9-km long, 15-metre-diameter main tunnel, an evacuation tunnel, as well as a separate 9-km-long, 6-metre-diameter tunnel connecting villages of Tskere and Kobi had already been carved.
"Intensive works of setting up engineering networks, power supplies, notification, security and other necessary systems are underway. Additionally, significant advancements have been made in the building of the access road, which will include the construction of a highly innovative balanced cantilever bridge - the first of its kind in Georgia”, Karseladze said.
"It will be the highest bridge, the height of piers are 48 and 47 metres. Until now, the highest piers reached 42 metres on the Khashuri bypass road [of Georgia’s east-west highway]”, he added.
The body also noted two tunnels of 1,500 and 500 metres in length had been dug, while works for carving remaining two tunnels and building all five bridges was “intensively ongoing”.
The new road, provided with “all necessary road safety standards”, will reduce travel time from one hour to 15 minutes.
The GEL 1.2 billion project is co-financed by the Georgian Government and the Asian Development Bank, with the tunnel construction also supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The construction of the road is scheduled to be completed in stages between 2024-2025.
