Baku, Azerbaijan, August 23
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
Following the international tender announced for the construction of the Shorapani-Argvet section of the Rikoti Pass of Georgia, 12 companies expressed readiness to begin the construction work, Trend reports citing the Road Department of Georgia.
The contract with the winning company will be signed by the end of 2019.
Shorapani-Argveta is one of four sections of the 51.6-km Chumateleti-Argveta road running through the Rikoti Pass, the project of modernization and expansion of which is estimated at $1 billion. The Shorapani-Argvet section covers 14.7 km. Funds for the construction of a four-lane cement concrete road, 14 bridges and 12 tunnels will be provided by Asian Development Bank.
Earlier, Georgia signed a contract with China State Construction Engineering Corporation LLC, the winner of the international tender for the construction of the Chumateleti-Khevi road, another section of the Rikoti Pass in Georgia.
In total, it is planned to build a road up to 51.6 kilometers in length at Rikoti Pass, include 96 bridges and 53 tunnels. The construction works are to be completed in June 2022. The modernization of the Rikoti Pass section is crucial for the development of the road network and its compliance with modern standards, said the department.
Rikoti Pass is a part of the East-West highway, which runs from the Georgian border with Azerbaijan to the Black Sea. Financial support for modernization of the highway is provided by the World Bank and the European Union.