24 Million Allocated to Build Juta-Omalo Hiking Trail and 7 Mountain Huts
The Municipal Development Fund has announced a 24 million tender for the construction of a trail (Juta-Omalo) connecting Kazbegi, Pshav-Khevsureti and Tusheti protected areas and for the construction of seven mountain huts.
According to the tender documents, the length of the trail is 204.8 km, of which 127 km need to be rehabilitated - bridges, railings and rock steps will be provided as basic infrastructure on the pedestrian route. It is also planned to arrange background bridges with boulders. The chain railing, as a protective rope, will be placed on two sections of the trail, for a total of 130 meters. Horizontal steps on the rocky terrain are provided for one section of the route, for a total of 30 meters. Signposts will be placed along the entire path in accordance with national regulations.
The project envisages the construction of seven mountain huts:
Abudelauri Alpine Hut - Location: Khevsureti, Abudelauri gorge, 6 km from the village Roshki, near the green lake of Abudelauri. The distance to the summer highway is 4.5 km. The metric coordinates of the place are: X - 487152, Y -4710235. Z -2590;
Arkhotistavi Alpine Hut - Location: near Arkhotistavi Pass, at an altitude of 2900 m above sea level, about 3 km from the Roshka-Arkhoti highway. Metric coordinates of the construction site of the hut: X - 489996; Y4716933;
Lower Tania Alpine Hut - Location: Khevsureti, near the Tanie Border Camp at 2000 m above sea level. The nearest summer highway is in the village of Amga, Arkhoti Valley, 10 km from the shelter, and Bogovacho Pass, which is 18 km away and suitable for horseback riding. Metric coordinates: X-499832; Y- 4724094;
Upper Tanie Alpine Hut - Location: Khevsureti, located on Tanie Pass at an altitude of 3000 m above sea level, about 10 km from the Bogovacho Pass road. Place metric coordinates: X -499723, Y-4716225;
Datvisjvari alpine hut - Location: Pirikita Khevsureti, at the headwaters of the river Arghun at 2500 m above sea level, 50 meters from the summer road connecting Datisjvari-Khakhabo. Construction site coordinates: X - 505852; Y- 4706846;
Khidotani Alpine Hut - Location: Northern Khevsureti, on the Khidotani ridge at 2500 m above sea level, 3 km from the village road Bakhao. Construction site coordinates - 517513; Y- 4711695;
Kvakhidi Alpine Hut - Location: Mtatusheti, river. In Kvakhidistskali gorge at 2400 m above sea level, 15 km from the summer road near Girevi. Construction site coordinates - X - 528830; Y- 4705583.
According to the project, the mountain hut is a night's place for hiking connected to a network of hiking trails. All huts have one floor. They can be operated even in winter. Almost every hut has an ancillary building and camping space. The buildings are mainly covered with natural materials (wood, slate, stone).
Receipt of bids will start on January 28 and end on February 1. Those wishing to participate in the tender must have an annual turnover of at least GEL 16 million for the last three years. The bidder, from January 1, 2016 until the last date for submission of applications, must have successfully completed a contract for at least one similar type of work worth at least GEL 17 million. The contracts must certify the experience of construction-arrangement-installation of the building above 1500 meters above sea level. The construction of the trail and the construction of the huts should be completed within 18 months after the start of the works.
The World Bank has allocated funds for the project.