The excavation of Kvesheti-Kobi 9km tunnel has been completed

Within the framework of the Kvesheti-Kobi road construction project, the cutting of the 9 km long tunnel connecting the village of Kvesheti with the village of Kobi was completed.

TMB (Tunnel Boring Machine) was specially made for the Kobi-Kvesheti tunnel in order to cause less damage to the environment and maintain a sustainable environment. The final works of the 9 km long tunnel will soon begin, which will include excavation, installation of electrical and engineering systems, and road surfacing.

It should be noted that the new, 9 km long and 15 m diameter tunnel will be the longest in Georgia, and one of the unique ones in the world due to its characteristics. As for the Kvesheti-Kobi project in general, a total of 23 km of 2-lane asphalt-concrete road is being built, which includes the construction of 5 bridges and 5 tunnels and the rehabilitation of 1 bridge. The mentioned section will be provided with a lighting system.

In order to develop Georgia as a tourist hub, the Kvesheti-Kobi project takes into account the construction of a new 5 km road leading to Gudauri. The new road will be provided with all necessary safety standards, and travel time will be reduced. Accordingly, Gudauri resort will be ready to receive more visitors.

The Kvesheti-Kobi project will have a great social impact on the ten villages whose population remained without road connection for several months and had no access to medical, educational or household services. Currently, it takes 1 hour to travel from Kvesheti to Kobi, and due to the danger of avalanches, traffic is often prohibited. After the completion of the project, it will take only 15 minutes to travel the section. In addition, the new road will also solve the problem of frequent transit traffic restrictions during winter.

The construction of the 23 km Kvesheti-Kobi road will be completed in stages in 2024-2025. The project is implemented with the financial support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the part of the tunnel construction – with the co-financing of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The total cost of the project is 1.2 billion GEL.