KRG plans major Hamilton Road development project

In a statement to Kurdistan24, Deputy Minister of Construction and Housing Agrin Abdullah said that the ministry is developing extensive plans for the strategic transportation project.

Deputy Minister of Construction and Housing Agrin Abdullah. (Photo: Kurdistan24)
Deputy Minister of Construction and Housing Agrin Abdullah. (Photo: Kurdistan24)

Dec. 28, 2024

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - The Kurdistan Region’s Government has begun plans to build the Hamilton highway, connecting Khalifan district to Gali Ali Beg in the Independent Soran Administration, following directives from Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.

In a statement to Kurdistan24, Deputy Minister of Construction and Housing Agrin Abdullah said that the ministry is developing extensive plans for the strategic transportation project.

The development will include a 12-kilometer highway built to high engineering specifications, including the removal of existing old bridges in the Gali Ali Beg area.

Abdullah also revealed plans for a 7-kilometer tunnel through Mount Korek, though this aspect of the project will be temporarily delayed due to three primary factors: high costs of construction, prioritizing the development of Hamilton Road, and the ongoing economic challenges facing the Kurdistan Region.

The Hamilton Road, historically important to the Kurdistan Region, was initially engineered by A.M. Hamilton in the 1920s and 1930s during the British mandate period.

The road has become a crucial transportation artery, connecting several parts of Kurdistan and enabling economic development in the region.

The new development project marks a noteworthy upgrade to this historic infrastructure, intending to improve connectivity and economic growth in the independent administration of Soran, which has seen growing development in recent years.

The project underlines the KRG's commitment to infrastructure development despite current economic challenges, with an emphasis on improving transportation networks in strategic areas of the region.