2016-01-05
Central and local government officials are operating in an emergency mode and coordinating their activities across Georgia, in order to eradicate the problems caused by heavy snow in a short period of time.
Efforts to eliminate delays are ongoing in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and special machinery is being used to clean the roads. Electricity supply restoration works are also underway. Local authorities have provided assistance to several families with damaged roofs.
Most main roads are being cleaned and efforts to clear rural roads are in progress as well. The natural gas supply to Samegrelo has not been disturbed. The emergency headquarters, which are operating in every municipality of the region, will continue to work intensively and several hot lines are open.
Relevant departments are working in an emergency mode to eradicate the delays caused by the heavy snow. Every central street of Batumi has been cleared. Since December 31, 200 employees and 25 armored vehicles of Sanitary Disinfection have been mobilized across the city to clean the roads and pavements.
Structural units of City Hall and its subordinate organizations are operating in emergency mode. City Hall has also set up a hotline, which operates 24 hours a day. Due to the heavy snow, electricity has not been supplied to approximately 4,000 customers in Kobuleti and 500 remain without power.
Rural roads in Khutsubani, Kobuleti, Achkvistavi, Tsikhisdziri, Chakvi, Mukhaestate and Ochkhamuri Administrative are being cleaned; while roads towards Batumi-Akhaltsikhe, Batumi-Kobuleti and Kobuleti-Ozurgeti have already been cleared. Traffic is moving smoothly on central roads, including towards Goderdzi Resort. Damaged water pipes in Chakvi and Batumi have been promptly repaired and the water and gas supply in the country is stable.
The electricity supply in most parts of Guria has been restored but the villages continue to operate in emergency mode. Special machinery is being used to clear the roads as well. By governor's order, 24 hour emergency headquarters and a hotline have been set up at the regional administration of Guria.
The roads are clear in the municipal centers of Imereti. At this stage, the internal rural roads are being cleaned, which is expected to be completed by the end of the day. The electricity supply has also been restored to the majority of customers left without power. The drinking water supply problem in Vani will be completely eradicated by the end of the day.
As of now, restrictions on international and national roads have been minimized. Across the country, 111 stations are operating to provide snow cleaning technology, human resources and technical salt.
As a result of the cleaning efforts by the Highway Department, all main roads in Samegrelo and Imereti are open. Restrictions in the Rikoti Pass section on trailers and semi-trailers will be removed.
Traffic is moving freely on Vaziani-Gombori Highway; however, due to the snow and slippery ice, the following special rules apply to several sections of the highway:
The movement of trailers, semi-trailers and buses with more than 30 seats is prohibited on the Aragvispiri-Larsi section of Mtskheta-Kazbegi-Larsi Highway. Relocation of other vehicles on Mleta-Gudauri (Posta) section is allowed with antiskid chains, whereas the Aragvispiri-Mleta and Kobi-Larsi sections are free. Movement of vehicles with two and more wheel-drive is free.
Movement on 138-248km bypass road (Bashi Section) on Chumateleti-Zetaponi-Nakhshirgele-Kutaisi section of Tbilisi-Senaki-Leselidze Highway is forbidden for trailers and semi-trailers, whereas the remaining types of vehicles are allowed to move freely.
Movement of trailers, semi-trailers and busses with more than 30 seats is prohibited on the 37-71km (Tkibuli-Ambrolauri) section of Kutaisi-Tkibuli-Ambrolauri Highway.
The relocation of other vehicles on the 37-50km (Nakerala Pass) section is allowed with anti-skid chains, whereas the 50-70km section is free. Two and more wheel-drive vehicles can move freely.
The movement of two and more wheel-drive vehicles is allowed on the 30-70 km (Jvari-Khaishi) section of Zugdidi-Mestia-Lasdili Highway, whereas it is forbidden for other types of vehicles. On the 71-188 km (Khaishi Ushguli) section of the same road, traffic is allowed with anti-skid chains, whereas two and more wheel-drive vehicles can move freely.
The 104-119 km (Bakurtsikhe-Tsnori) section of Bakurtsikhe-Tbilisi-Lagodekhi (the border of the Republic of Azerbaijan) is prohibited for trailers and semi-trailers, whereas movement of other type of vehicles is free.
Due to severe weather conditions (heavy snow, snowstorm and poor visibility) and safety concerns, movement is banned towards the following destinations:
The 110-146km (Radionovka-Ninotsminda) section of Koda-Partskhisi-Manglisi-Tsalka-Ninotsminda Highway; the 90-112km section (Ninotsminda-Armenian border) of Akhaltsikhe-Ninotsminda (Armenian Border) Highway and the 20-30km section of Akhalkalaki-Krtsanisi (Turkish border) Highway.
The representatives of the Georgian Highway Department within the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure are intensively working 24 hours a day to resolve the problems. Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Nodar Javakhishvili is being personally informed about the current conditions on the highways across the country.
Deputy Minister of Energy Ilya Eloshvili is monitoring the restoration works of power lines, damaged by heavy snow. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili instructed Head of Department of Government Administration's Relations with Local Self-government Entities Giorgi Amashukeli to visit Western Georgia. The department is assessing additional needs and giving appropriate instructions on the ground.
Representatives of State Trustees' Administrations and the governors of the affected regions are actively involved in the construction works.