2024-07-25 18:36:19
It is unclear when construction will begin
The beginning of the activities on the development of the technical project for the tunnel under Mount Shipka is expected to start in 2025. The draft must be amended as new alienation procedures are needed. However, the financial part of the contract will not be increased. The possibility of only amending the PUP for the necessary expropriation is being considered.
This was stated by acting regional minister Violeta Koritarova during her hearing in the parliament regarding the Shipka tunnel project.
She pointed out that major infrastructure projects are a priority of all regional ministers, and the tunnel has turned out to be another sad record, as its construction took over 120 years.
A third lane would be enough to handle all the traffic, as 14,093 vehicles are expected to pass through the tunnel in 24 hours in 2040, Koritarova said.
She pointed out that in April of this year, the last procedural hurdle fell, after which a series of meetings were launched.
The tunnel under Shipka will be a junction point between Northern and Southern Bulgaria, the value of the contract is BGN 358 million, the term is 1550 calendar days, 240 for design, 1280 for construction.
Koritarova pointed out that there is a need for additional expropriation procedures, changes to the project, terms, and amendments to the contract.
The optimistic deadline for starting the construction of the technical project is 2025, after that all procedures require the corresponding legal deadlines, so there is no way to say a specific deadline for starting construction.
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.