BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec.4
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
According to the draft state budget for 2021, more than 1.5 billion lari ($453.3 million) will be spent on the construction and repair of roads in Georgia, of which 460 million lari ($139.02 million) will be spent on the reconstruction of the East-West highway with the assistance of international banks, Trend reports via Georgian media.
The East-West Highway or European Transit Road E-60 is the second largest European transit corridor, which starts in Brest (France) and ends in Irkeshtam (Kyrgyzstan). In Georgia, the E-60 starts at the border with Azerbaijan and ends on the Black Sea coast, near the port of Poti. In Georgia, the length of the corridor is 392 kilometers.
In 2021, it is planned to continue several sections of the highway at once, the largest amount will be spent on the construction of the Ubisa-Shorapani section - 150 million lari ($45.3 million), which is allocated by the European Investment Bank.
In addition, the implementation of such a significant project as the construction of a road and a tunnel under the Cross Pass on the highway leading to Russia will continue.
On the Kvesheti-Kobi section, the only road in the direction of Russia, Mtskheta-Stepantsminda-Lars, it is planned to continue the construction of a new road and a tunnel. The budget provides 80 million lari ($24.1 million) for this, from which more than half Georgia will receive from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Asian Development Bank.
In addition to the East-West highway and the highway in the direction of Russia, the construction of a new bypass road in Batumi will continue in 2021 with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Investment Bank. Some 80 million lari ($24.1 million) have been allocated for this project.
It is also planned to build a second lane of the Kutaisi bypass road, which will cost 15 million lari ($4.5 million).
The planned projects also include the repair of the Bagdati-Abastumani road and the construction and repair of the road connecting Imereti with the Racha-Sachkhere-Oni region.
The implementation of infrastructure projects, along with the fight against coronavirus, healthcare, and education, are the main priorities of Georgia in the state budget for next year.
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