The number of workers hired for the Bar – Boljare highway construction reached 1,746 workers in March. Of these, 625 were from Montenegro, Dnevne Novine writes.
Once the remaining construction permits have been issued and works intensify, the labour force, both domestic and Chinese, is expected to increase, said the minister of transport and maritime affairs, Osman Nurkovic in his interview with Dnevne Novine newspaper.
He added that the Chinese China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) has been issued ten construction permits so far. Nurkovic said he expected requests for another two construction permits to be submitted by the end of the week.
“The works are intensively performed along the entire route, on the basis of the licenses issued to 28 kilometres in the most demanding and most complex structures. When it comes to tunnels, 16 of them, the main works are currently running in the tunnels Mrke, Klopot, Vilac, Vjeternik, Kosman, Mala Trava, Preslo and Jabucki Krs. The works on the Vezesnik and Mrki Krs are expected to start soon,” Nurkovic said, adding that intensive works are also carried out on the part of road, the Pelev Brijeg loop and tunnels Gornje Mrke, Moracica and Jabuka.
Speaking on the number of subcontractors involved in the construction of the priority highway section, Nurkovic said that his ministry as an investor has issued 65 approvals for hiring subcontractors so far. As he said, they include 86 companies, 73 of which are from Montenegro.
“The total value of the contracts signed with subcontractors is 33.21% of the total value of the contract… Thus, almost €250 million remains in the financial flows of our country, which will provide additional positive impetus to economic trends in Montenegro. In addition to subcontractors who are directly involved in the design and construction works, other legal entities from Montenegro in the capacity of service providers, suppliers, shippers, carriers are engaged,” said Nurkovic.
Commenting on the works on other roads in the country, he said he would try to have all of them completed by June, ie the beginning of the summer tourism season.
“If it happens that certain roads are not 100 percent completed by the start of the season, the works will be suspended and the road opened for traffic. Works that are taking place on the road Podgorica – Cetinje – Budva will be completed by the beginning of June. I think it is clear to everyone that the road infrastructure of our country cannot be improved without works,” said Nurkovic.
According to him, €37.98m will be invested in the reconstruction, rehabilitation and construction of state roads this year.
