The Georgian government has started the process of acquiring land for the construction of a new highway connecting Natakhtari and Zhinvali. The Infrastructure Ministry plans to build the road in accordance with the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) social and environmental safeguard framework.
The planned highway will be 27 kilometers long and include a four-lane road. According to the environmental impact assessment, the route will pass through Tsitsamuri, Saguramo, Choporti, Tsitelsopeli, Aragvispiri, Bulachauri, Kubriantkari and Zhinvali. The project will require the construction of 16 bridges, including two 991-meter bridges over the Aragvi River.
The new road will allow traffic speeds of up to 120 km/h, reducing travel time along the 27-kilometer section to around 15 minutes. The project is intended to replace the existing two-lane road due to growing local traffic and increasing international freight volumes.
Project documents state that special attention has been given to minimizing the impact on infrastructure located along the route, including open reservoirs operated by Georgia’s water supply company GWP, which serve Tbilisi’s drinking water system. The government’s July 1 decree launched the land acquisition process needed for the highway’s construction.
