Vertical Corridor – VISION

 

Thanks to the previous Blog ( https://bit.ly/3grswro ), our followers are already acquainted with the South-North international route, that passes through Georgia. Named it by us as Vertical Corridor, we discussed its importance and interesting insights around it. Today, we would like to brainstorm the potential it really bears and its possible positive outlook.

 

As mentioned, an average of 800 freights pass the route in both directions during 24-hour. The toughest part of the South-North route is the Kvesheti-Kobi-Gudauri road. During the winter season, the road is often closed due to heavy snowfall and a high risk of avalanches. As for warm seasons, complicated traffic regulations are needed, because narrow roads and tunnels do not permit big size road trailers to bypass each other. To avoid a road jam, police have to close each of the lane senses alternately on winding serpentine road on the Gudauri pass with sharp narrow turns which do not forgive mistakes.

That is why, while traveling in the Tbilisi-Dariali direction, one can often witness in many places, long rows of parked freights alongside the motorway. Such spaces are called “Road Pockets”. They are being used as temporary parking lots for road freights during various emergencies on the road. Mandatory stops could last several days or even weeks. During the period drivers naturally need food and drink, not to mention other simple commodities. Today, unfortunately, there are no special road stations for freights on the Vertical Corridor. Drivers have to spend all this period in their trucks at the road pockets consuming prearranged provisions, dumping the waste in nature and wait for permission to drive.

 

Now let us imagine what best solutions could be implemented for better management of the Logistics on Vertical Corridor. What if there are well-organized road stations especially for trucks where without polluting the surrounding area, drivers could have basic commodities and simple conditions?! Local villagers could be employed in such stations, while nearby farmers could provide various food supplies and market products. The system could be an economic relief for sideway villages. It is worth mentioning, that today, there are no proper dining and rest areas either on the route. Everything existing up to date is fitted only to tourists. However, the infrastructure is not suitable for lorry convoys and cannot meet their requirements.

 

It is surprising, but within 130 km distance - from the resort Natakhtari until the Resort Kazbegi, you will not get across with a single car repair service center either. Trucks are not available to have a professional helping hand in case of malfunctions, which, by the way, occur quite often due to extremely high vehicle overburden on the geographically tough road. Drivers are left alone to handle technical issues. They can rely on their colleague’s goodwill at most. Such centers would not only enhance the safety and logistics process but could be also useful for locals as well. A nearby farmer could rent his land or even get employed in a service center, or she or he could establish some kind of small marketplace or even a Guesthouse nearby.

 

Another important issue is the road infrastructure itself. For instance, night illumination, safety barriers, special escape areas on the steep downhill and uphill. No refueling station is located on the road either (only a handful of handicraft places selling the fuel in a vessel). To sum up, a well-developed route would increase the quality and speed of transportation, as well as safety and environmental condition, therefore overall well-being of settlements alongside the route.

 

The broader vision of the Vertical Corridor development could benefit neighboring regions as well. Near the Resort Passanauri, there is a deviation to Valley Gudamakari. Despite the vicinity to the capital, today this valley is a kind of dead-end gorge that cannot take part in any kind of economic and logistics affairs. It is quite possible, that any of the above-mentioned facility was situated in Gudamakari valley. In this case, A lorry would deviate from the main route, not more than by 1-or-2 km, and later would return on to the main road. It is a common practice in western European countries, especially in mountainous ones, such as Norway, Swiss, or Austria.

 

We cannot miss the fact that part of these problems will be eliminated after the completion of the Kvesheti-Kobi-Gudauri road project in 2024. It is currently under construction by the MRDI of Georgia. The project includes several bridges and tunnels, one with a 9 km length. We would like to emphasize that our company contributes to the project greatly, but let’s talk about it later. Yes, problems will be solved, but again, partially, because truckers being on their way for days need to stop anyway. Besides, they are never secured from any unavoidable occurrence during which it is vitally important that vertical corridor was developed and advanced.