Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Construction of Bakurtsikhe-Gurjaani Detour Road Created Problems for Locals

March 29, 2016
 
Lela Khechoshvili, Kakheti

The Transport Department plans to commence large-scaled project to combat frequent car-accidents in Kakheti. The project aims to construct detour road in the part of Bakurtsikhe-Gurjaani-Chumlaki motorway. As representatives of the road department say the project was launched 20 years ago but then stopped. Last year, they introduced the Gurjaani local self-governmental bodies with the project and preparatory activities also started. The project is funded by the World Bank. If a house or agricultural plot is located in the construction area the World Bank will ensure their compensation and resettlement.

Population living nearby the Bakurtsikhe-Gurjaani detour expressed discontent with the project because they said the process is delayed and they try to select alternative accommodations in vain – the compensation is delayed.

“The measurement works were already done but one year has passed since then and we are waiting when they will start working. If the process is still delayed, let them tell us what to do – to start cultivation of plots or not. Otherwise we will be left without harvest. In addition to that, prices on houses rise and they are late to pay compensation. When people learned that we were looking for houses, they increased prices and charge old, demolished houses 30 000 USD and how can we afford them. Besides that, neither my family nor my families want to leave our houses and move out but there is no way out,” said local Oliko Kitoshvili.

Local Tsismari Buzaladzze said she was offered 106 000 GEL as compensation but she says it is not enough to purchase a good house with the money. 

“I have lived here for 40 years and they must pay enough money so that I did not regret resettlement from here,” Buzaladze said.

Locals say the Audit Service evaluated their houses. 81-years-old Shaliko Beroshvili is against the new project. He said the new road will be constructed five meters away from his house for what he will lose part of his yard.

“Opening my door I will immediately turn up on the motorway. I am blind and disabled person. I move about only in my yard and now they want to seize it from me. They breached my rights,” Beroshvili said.
He applied to Human Rights Center for help and sent letter to the Road Department. 

There are two residential buildings in the entrance to Bakurtsikhe village. Both of them are old and 36 families live in it. They are afraid the new motorway will be constructed near their buildings and it may significantly damage their houses.

The residents of the buildings claim resettlement from their flats. They request compensation enough to purchase alternative houses. Unless their requests are satisfied, they will hold protest demonstrations and will not allow the company to start construction.

Families living near the Bakurtsikhe-Gurjaani-Chumlaki central motorway request to promptly start construction of the road because they are bothered with heavy traffic. 

As consultant of the social security unit of the Road Department Mariam Begiashvili told humanrights.ge that for the safety of the buildings in Bakurtsikhe village the project intends to install special sound-muffling walls in the area that will protect the houses from damage.

As for the population, Begiashvili said due to accommodation principles the local population will necessarily receive compensations adequate to the market prices of their plots and houses. She claimed nobody will be dissatisfied.

According to the press-center of the project at the Road Department, the tender was not yet announced for the road construction. Currently the tender announcement process is going on. 

News