Minister Pavlova: Approximately 250 km of Second and Third Class Roads Will be Rehabilitated with BGN 180 Million from Operational Program „Regions in Growth“
The significant investment of BGN 180 million will be used to implement the first part of the projects for rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads under Operational Program „Regions in Growth 2014 – 2020“. Sections totalling 248 km in length will be repaired under 14 contracts, Minister of Regional Development of Public Works Lilyana Pavlova announced at the ceremony to sign the contracts under grant procedure BG16RFOP001-7.001 „Regional Roads”.
They were signed by Deputy Regional Development and Public Works Minister and Head of the OPRR Managing Authority Denitsa Nikolova and Chairperson of the Road Infrastructure Agency Management Board eng. Lazar Lazarov.
Minister Pavlova informed that a total of BGN 380 million is earmarked for rehabilitation of regional roads under RROP 2014-2020. According to her, the contracts concluded are primarily for roads in Northern Bulgaria, including Varna – Dobrich, Sevlievo – Gabrovo and the road to the Ledenika Cave as well as the section between Stara Zagora and Radnevo. A contract for the reconstruction of the road from Plovdiv to Asenovgrad is to be concluded soon as well, the Minister went on. The RIA needs to submit projects for approval for the rest of the resources allocated by April of next year, she added.
The average period of completion of the sites for which contracts have already been concluded is from 24 to 36 months, Pavlova shared. If no procedures are appealed, the construction and assembly work may begin even this construction season.
The sites for which contracts have already been concluded are essential to the road infrastructure, Lazar Lazarov emphasized and clarified that they covered sections from second and third class roads which were in very poor condition and need to be repaired.
We will prepare the projects for the other sites which we will submit for funding by autumn so that we may use the autumn and winter season to prepare the tender procedures, he stated.
If all deadlines are observed, by 2018 we may have successfully completed activities under the road projects, Minister Pavlova emphasized.