Vice Director of Public Enterprise “Autoceste” of the Federation of BiH Elmedin Voloder said at a press conference in Mostar on Thursday that the construction of the Hranjen tunnel will not stop but the works will continue in accordance with the available budget.
He explained that there are aggravating circumstances in the implementation of the project, but that experts from Austria who have more experience than domestic experts will be hired, all with the aim of completing the construction of the tunnel.
Today, the Government of FBiH adopted the information of JP Autoceste Federacije BiH d.o.o. Mostar, which refers to the implementation of the project construction of the highway Praca – Gorazde, section tunnel Hranjen, and which they requested with the conclusion of the session held on August 19, 2021.
“What is important to note for the tunnel Hranjen is that it was not contracted in full, and then the estimated budget was about 250 million marks, because it was known that it was an expensive project. The government then decided to do part of the project, which means to break the pipe and make the primary support, and the continuation of activities in other parts related to pavement, asphalt, insulation, lighting, video surveillance and everything else is conceived in the following stages said Voloder. He explained that the Government of FBiH, on the recommendation of the Highways of the Federation of BiH, in order to realize that project as soon as possible, decided to apply the so-called model of contracting through the yellow perspective, which means that there is no project or research work on which the work is performed, emphasizing that it was quite difficult to implement the contract, because the engineers who worked on the project did not have enough experience.
“About 37 percent of the length of the tunnel was built, and most of the funds were spent. However, there are still funds and the works are being performed, but in a lower intensity,” Voloder added.
According to him, the geological conditions are more complex than expected, which directly affected the cost of building the tunnel, Federalna writes.