A New Tunnel Construction Project Will Replace the Dilijan Tunnel

The government has approved the proposal to sign a letter of agreement for the "Loan No. 3449-ARM. Armenia-Georgia Border Regional Road Improvement Program (M-6, Vanadzor-Bagratasen). Amendments to the Loan Agreement (No. 3)," between the RA and the ADB. The aim of the program is to carry out comprehensive rehabilitation/reconstruction of the M-6 highway section from km 38+450 to km 90+191, which spans 51.74 km, connecting the Kobarj-Bagratasen border checkpoint along the Vanadzor-Alaverdi-Georgia border road, as well as to conduct design works for the rehabilitation and modernization of the Dilijan and Pushkin auto-road tunnels.

The rehabilitation works on the highway section have been completed. However, a need has arisen to amend the loan agreement due to the necessity of preparing a project for the improvement of the M-6 highway, which was damaged by flooding caused by the Debed river flood in May 2024, as well as conducting detailed hydrological studies of the Dzoraget and Debed rivers required for the project design.

At the same time, it has been decided to develop a new tunnel construction project instead of the rehabilitation project for the Dilijan tunnel. Consequently, an agreement has been reached with the ADB to make the following amendments to the Loan Agreement: extend the closure period of the loan until December 31, 2025; modify the description of the Project in the 2nd paragraph of Annex 1 of the Loan Agreement, adding detailed hydrological studies of the Dzoraget, Debed, and Aghstev rivers, as well as detailed project design for the improvement works of the M6 highway. The expected completion date for the project is by June 30, 2025.