2024-07-25 09:20:53
Acting Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Violeta Koritarova announced during a hearing in the parliament that the optimistic deadline for the start of the activities for the development of the technical project for the tunnel under Shipka is in 2025, BTA reported.
The reason is that actions will have to be taken this year to secure the areas for the portals of the tunnel, the minister said.
From then on, all procedures require the relevant legal deadlines. Therefore, I would not be able to make a commitment to share an initial deadline for the start of construction and installation works on the project, the minister also pointed out in response to a parliamentary question.
Koritarova stated that funding for the project has been secured, adding that part of these funds will be from the state budget and they are planned in the capital program of the Road Infrastructure Agency, and the other part will be under the “Transport Connectivity” program – 2021 – 2027 year.
At the beginning of July, the regional minister announced that steps have been taken to create a working group with the participation of the responsible institutions, which will prepare a schedule with the activities and deadlines for the realization of the project for the tunnel under Mount Shipka. The goal is to start the real work within a year and a half. And after 4 years we should be able to say that we have the north-south connection, Minister Koritarova said in mid-June. The term for designing the facility is eight months. Construction will last about three and a half years. The construction of five tunnels with a total length of 4 km, 6 bridges, 1 underpass, etc. is planned.
The design of the facility began after a nearly three-year procedure under the Public Procurement Act, which was launched in October 2019 and went through a court appeal. The contracts with the selected contractors have been signed. The value of the design and construction contract is BGN 358,020,000 including VAT. The executor is DZZD “Consortium PSVT”. The construction supervision is entrusted to the DZZD “Transconsult – Sveco”. The contract is BGN 6,479,935.20 including VAT.
The tunnel will provide the most direct connection between Northern and Southern Bulgaria in the central part of the country. The northern part of the tunnel will be in the Gabrovo region, and the southern part – in the Stara Zagora region. The main transport directions that the tunnel will serve are: Ruse – Veliko Tarnovo – Shipka – Stara Zagora – Svilengrad (Makaza) and Oryahovo – Sevlievo – Shipka – Stara Zagora – Svilengrad (Makaza). Traffic safety will be increased and it will be easier for drivers to pass from both sides of Stara planina all year round. This will affect the economic and social development of the region and tourism.
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