Heavy snowfall causes traffic interruptions for Georgian Railway, road vehicles

Heavy overnight snowfall has caused delays in train services and led to restrictions to road traffic in Georgia’s west, stopping trains and causing road sections to be closed to vehicles.

Georgian Railway on Monday said passenger trains were stopped at different locations due to adverse weather in western part of the country, causing interruptions to services.

The company said it was working to “ensure services are performed without delays, however the bad weather in western Georgia is creating various problems on the railway [lines]”.

It added disruptions were created by disconnections in the power network with substations, in particular to the railway contact network.

Employees of the Roads Department of Georgia have been involved in “intensive” clearing works on snowfall-affected roads to restore traffic “as soon as possible”, the state body said on Sunday.

Photo: Roads Department of Georgia

The Department said intense snowfall, blizzard and limited visibility had led to several road sections being closed, adding traffic was being resuming in stages.

The body said on Monday traffic had been restored on the kilometre 90-112 section of the Akhaltsikhe-Ninotsminda Highway for light vehicles, with trailers, semi-trailers and buses with capacity of more than 30 seats having access prohibited due to snow and ice.

Traffic has also been restored for trailers and semi-trailers on the kilometre 1-50 section of the Khashuri-Akhaltsikhe-Vale Highway, while it remains prohibited for trailers, semi-trailers and buses with over 30 seats on the kilometre 51-97 section of the same road.

The three types of vehicles are now allowed on the kilometre 1-36 section of the Akhalkalaki-Kartsakhi Highway, the Department added.