Tunnel for avalanche protection built on Bishkek - Osh road

Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov took part in the opening of a tunnel for avalanche protection at the 246th kilometer of Bishkek — Osh highway. The press service of the Cabinet of Ministers reported.

Akylbek Japarov noted that this road unites the north and south of the country and is one of the main arteries of the republic.

«With the help of the Government of Japan and JICA, we were able to build a closed road tunnel, which will make it possible to avoid traffic stops during avalanches and ensure safe passage for drivers. The tunnel was built of monolithic concrete using Japanese technology, the width of the road was increased by 30 meters,» he said.

Construction of the tunnel with an area of about 5.8 hectares began on Bishkek — Osh highway in 2019. Money for the facility in the form of a grant of 4.3 billion Japanese yen (about $40 million) was allocated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). JICA selected the Japanese company CTI Engineering International as the contractor for the construction work. In 2020, work was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2021, all work on the site was resumed and carried out according to the approved schedule. The snow shed is 8.6 meters high and 10.5 meters wide and has a total length of 460 meters.