Construction of 9 km tunnel connecting village of Kob completes

Georgia: The 9 km tunnel connecting the village of Kob has been completed within the framework of the construction project of the Kvesheti-Kobi road.

The development Minister, Irakli Karseladze, said, “Congratulations to everyone on this important day – the result of tireless work and great effort. This road will never be closed for a day, and our municipalities will always have a physical connection. In a new way, up to 10 villages in the Khadi Valley will stay connected to the environment during the winter and give residents access to all essential services. This project is not just about infrastructure, it’s about improving the quality of life for our local communities.” 

“The project, also crucial from an engineering point of view, involved tunnel drilling equipment explicitly made for this project with TBM. Cut into rocky canes, it is the longest transport tunnel in our country, 9 km and 15 meters in diameter,” Irakli Karseladze mentioned.

“In addition, the construction of the 9 km parallel evacuation tunnel continues, and at this stage, it is cut at 7,730 m. ” Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Irakli Karseladze said this after the completion of the 9 km tunnel connecting Kobi.

Tunnel drilling works were produced by specially made TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) or tunnel drilling equipment, which significantly reduces environmental impact and ensures environmental sustainability.

The new 9 km long and 15 m diameter tunnel will be the longest in Georgia and will be unique in the world with its characteristics

At this stage, the installation of the final service, electrical and engineering systems, and road pavement will begin in the 9 km tunnel.

In summary, within the framework of the Kvesheti-Kobi project, a 23 km 2-lane asphalt-concrete road with a lighting system is being built, which includes the construction of 5 bridges and five tunnels and the rehabilitation of 1 bridge.

The project involves the construction of a new 5 km road and tourist center leading to Gudaura.

The new road, which has all the necessary road safety standards, will also reduce movement time.

Currently, the journey from the Subway to Kobe takes 1 hour, and due to sea congestion, traffic is often forbidden; after the project is finished, the passage will only take 15 minutes.

Construction of the 23 km road of Kvesheti-Kobi will be completed step by step in 2024-2025.

The Kobe Underground Road project is being implemented with financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and, as part of the tunnel construction, co-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The total cost of the project is 1.2 billion GEL.