Georgian PM opens 35-km section of Kakheti Highway in east, pledges to expand infrastructure for boosting country’s competitiveness

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday announced the opening of a 35-km section of the 85-km, four-lane Kakheti Highway covering the route from the capital city of Tbilisi to Sagarejo in the country’s east.

Kobakhidze said the opening of the section was an “important step forward” in implementing the Kakheti Highway project.

Today is a very important day for us, for our country, specifically for Kakheti. We are witnessing the completion of the third project. We were in Arkhiloskalo today, where we opened a sports complex named after Lasha Bekauri, our famous Olympic Champion. Additionally, we attended the opening of an extraordinary kindergarten in Iormughalo. I want to take this opportunity to thank our Azerbaijani friends for their support and for being with us today. As for the third project, it is of great importance for our country and for the development of our country, especially this region”, he said.

• Georgian PM unveils sports complex Olympic champion in Kakheti region

Just two months ago, we opened the 18-km Bakurtsikhe-Tsnori highway. Today, we are celebrating another significant success in Kakheti. The new highway bypasses four densely populated villages and towns, which will completely relieve traffic in the area, ensure the highest standards of road safety, reduce travel time by half, and triple the transport capacity. This road is also part of the international transit corridor connecting Georgia with Azerbaijan, further increasing its importance”, the Prime Minister added.

He also said the completion of the Highway would cut travel between Tbilisi and Telavi in the eastern region to an hour and 20 minutes.

Photo: Government Administration

In addition to economic benefits, Kobakhidze said the Highway played a “crucial role in international security and stability”, as Georgia served as a “vital bridge” between Europe and Asia.

The shortest route between the East and West passes through our country. Against the backdrop of existing regional crises, the relevance of the Middle Corridor [a logistics route connecting Central Asia and China to Europe via the South Caucasus through Georgia] is increasing. Such projects help to strengthen the function of our country in this respect”, he said.

The Prime Minister emphasised the significance of “safe and reliable” trade and transport routes, highlighting the Government’s commitment to further developing the country’s highways to enhance its competitiveness and strengthen its function as a “safe transit corridor”.

Kobakhidze said more highways would be opened this year alone than were "fully operational” in the country before 2012. He said 341 km of highways were used by road transport in Georgia, including 282 km of the East-West international highway.

The construction of the Rikoti Pass Highway, a project of the century, is in its final phase. The curving of the nine km long road tunnels connecting Kvesheti-Kobi has been finished. Efforts are ongoing to complete the construction of both the tunnels and the 23-km highway. Work is also progressing for the development of the Kakheti Highway”, the Prime Minister said.

Kobakhidze said the accomplishments showed the Government was “fully committed” to developing Georgia’s international transport potential, enhancing connectivity, and positioning the country as a regional logistics hub.

He thanked professionals involved in the projects, Infrastructure Minister Irakli Karseladze, “employees” of the Ministry, the Roads Department of Georgia and the Chinese and Turkish partners involved in the implementation of the project.