Completion of construction works on Iriski Venac Tunnel expected by year-end – Opening of tunnel and section to Ruma most likely in June 2027

More than 80% of the work on the 16.5 km-long section, stretching from Paragovo to the start of the Ruma bypass on the Fruska Gora Corridor, has been completed. By the end of the year, construction and the installation of equipment for the Iriski Venac tunnel, the longest road tunnel in Serbia, will also be finished, stated Aleksandra Sofronijevic, Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure in a caretaker capacity.

According to the Minister, this will allow sufficient time for comprehensive system testing and verification of full functionality. She anticipates that the tunnel and the entire section leading to Ruma will be opened to traffic in June. According to her, the Fruska Gora Corridor will connect Vojvodina with Western Serbia, allowing transit traffic to be diverted away from the mountain road and routed beneath the Fruska Gora National Park.

– With the completion of the 3.5 km-long Iriski Venac Tunnel, we gain a vital transport link while simultaneously preserving the natural environment of Fruska Gora – she noted, adding that safety and the implementation of modern technical solutions remain a priority in the execution of this project.

The tunnel was constructed using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM). Throughout the entire construction process, a monitoring system for harmful gas concentrations, complete with defined alarm thresholds, was in operation. The tunnel is equipped with artificial ventilation, including smoke control, lighting, a fire alarm system, carbon monoxide detection, visibility monitoring, video surveillance, a public address system, SOS telephones and an automated control system.

Following an inspection of the construction site, Sofronijevic held discussions with Du Fei, the head of the Chinese company China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), regarding the implementation of the Fruska Gora Corridor and cooperation on planned infrastructure projects.

Ministarstvo građevinarstva, saobraćaja i infrastrukture Republike Srbije

CRBC SERBIA OGRANAK BEOGRAD

China Road and Bridge Corporation

CRBC

Aleksandra Sofronijević

Fruška Gora Corridor

Iriški venac Tunnel