In about 10 years construction of all highways will be completed in Georgia, households across the country will have unfettered access to water supply, all municipal landfills will be replaced by modern regional centers, regions will be socially and economically developed, municipalities will be strengthened and their capacities will increase, Infrastructure Minister Irakli Karseladze has said at the presentation of the 10-year development plan.
Currently 818 km of highway are under construction, while until 2030 a 760 km-long highway will be put into operation.
“As a result, the highway will be shortened by 30 km from Red Bridge (the border crossing between Georgia and Azerbaijan) to Sarpi (a border village between Georgia and Turkey). Such an important development of the corridor will be directly related to the economic development and growth of the country”, said Karseladze.
He said that currently 71 bridges and 47 tunnels were under construction at Rikoti Pass.
“In September we will open a 2.5-km section of the new road, which consists of six bridges and four tunnels, and we will complete the construction of the Rikoti highway in stages in 2021-2024”, Karseladze said.
Karseladze said that along with international highways, there were important plans for the construction of inland roads.
“For example, 2 billion GEL will be spent on developing road infrastructure in the Kakheti region alone. This year construction of the 51-km Sachkhere-Oni road will be completed. A 47-km road will be renovated that will connect Samtkhe-Javakheti and Adjara regions with Khulo-Zarzma project. 17 billion GEL will be spent on road infrastructure as part of the 10-year plan”, he said.
Karseladze said that soon 360,000 people would have improved water supply in 150 settlements including Telavi, Dedoplistskaro, Zestaponi, Tskhvaritchamia, Bulachauri, Tkibuli, Vale and Maglisi settlements.
“In spring, we signed a project worth 260 million GEL for the construction of a complete water supply and sewerage system in Khashuri. As part of the project 18 km of highway and 191 km of distribution network will be expanded and renovated, while about 40 km of sewerage network will be renovated in five years”, Karseladze said.
The design for the renovation and construction of the water supply network is starting in Ozurgeti, Senaki, Bolnisi, Khoni, Ninotsminda, as well as Ingiri, Tsaishi, Tsaghveri, Nukriani, Tskhvarichamia, Tskhemliskhidi, Dvabzu, Tezami and others settlements.
“Until 2025, it is planned to provide 24-hour, standard water supply to all cities of Georgia”, Karseladze said.
Construction and renovation of water supply and sewerage systems will cost 9 billion GEL in 10 years, he said.
Karseladze said the role of the EU in strengthening the country’s self-governments was important. He added that a pilot program was created for four regions of Georgia: Guria, Racha-Lechkhumi, Imereti and Kakheti.
He said that until 2025, municipal revenues would be no less than 7% of GDP.
“This means allocating more than 1 billion GEL in additional resources to municipal revenues”, Karseladze said.
He also talked about the ministry’s plans in developing the mountain regions of Georgia, which included improvement of the demographic situation, strengthening of economic and tourism potential and other social benefits for the local population.
Currently 1,797 settlements enjoy the status of highland settlement, while 660,266 people have been granted the status of permanent residents in the mountains.
Karseladze said that the budget for developing the mountain regions of Georgia in 2021-2023 exceeded 968 million GEL. (Agenda/Business World Magazine)