Turkey has opened the Pirinkayalar tunnel, which will connect Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia with the eastern coast of the Black Sea, and therefore with the Caucasus region, Turkish TV channel NTV reported.
The 2,272 meter long tunnel was built on the Pirinkayalar Pass, located on the Erzurum-Artvin / Eastern Turkey road.
Television notes that the Pirinkayalar Pass is known as a site with a lot of traffic accidents.
The project will shorten the existing road by 680 meters. Turkish state television TRT Haber notes that with the opening of the tunnel, 36 sharp bends in the pass area will no longer be a problem for drivers.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who joined the opening ceremony via videoconference, said the tunnel would save the country nearly 18 million pounds a year and help protect the environment by cutting carbon emissions by 230 tons.
Erdogan said the tunnel will facilitate transportation between Erzurum and Artvin, which have high tourism potential, and provide new opportunities, the Anatolian agency reported. He added that the tunnel will also facilitate transit traffic to the Caucasus region through two cities.
“Our goal is to make our country one of the 10 largest economies in the world in order to have a more effective influence in the global governance system,” Erdogan said.
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure said in a statement that the tunnel was built to ensure safe, fast and smooth transportation in difficult winter conditions.
The tunnel, which will connect Erzurum and Artvin, will facilitate transport to tourist and shopping centers. This will contribute to the socio-economic development of the region.