KRG Nears Completion of Kore–Shaqlawa–Qandil Highway, Mirawa and Mawaran Tunnels

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is nearing completion of the strategic Kore–Shaqlawa–Qandil dual carriageway, with the Mirawa and Mawaran tunnels expected to open to motorists by the end of 2026 as construction enters its final phase.

According to officials overseeing the project, nearly 70% of the highway has been completed, with the entire route scheduled to be finished and opened to traffic by year-end.

"The project includes the completion of the Mirawa and Mawaran tunnels, along with the construction of three overpasses. The road meets all standard highway specifications," Helgurd Wali, director of the Kore–Shaqlawa–Qandil project, told Kurdistan24.

He said the highway is being built with asphalt pavement and equipped with road markings, guardrails, and other safety features. Once completed, it will connect Erbil with the Soran Independent Administration while also serving as a key tourism corridor and an international route linking the Kurdistan Region with Iran.

Project engineers said one section of the road had previously been abandoned, causing one side to collapse to a depth of around 15 meters. The damaged section has since been rebuilt to international engineering standards.

"We fully resolved the issue by filling the 15-meter-deep collapsed section with rock-fill material," supervising engineer Rivan Othman said. "To ensure the problem does not happen again, we installed a piling system to prevent any future collapses."

The Mirawa Tunnel, consisting of twin tunnels carrying traffic in both directions, has been structurally completed. Lighting, surveillance cameras, ventilation systems, and monitoring equipment have also been installed in preparation for its opening.

Around 500 workers and engineers, supported by 120 heavy and light machines, are currently working on the project.

The Kore–Shaqlawa–Qandil highway forms part of the KRG's broader infrastructure program under the Ninth Cabinet, which has prioritized expanding the Region's transport network to improve connectivity, trade, tourism, and road safety.

The government has launched 1,119 road projects worth more than IQD 4.3 trillion (approximately $3 billion), with more than 810 highway and regional road projects already completed.

Among the flagship developments is the 48-kilometer Erbil–Koya Highway, which has reduced travel time between the two cities to about 27 minutes, and the IQD 210 billion (approximately $160 million) Gomaspan–Smaqoli Highway, a 22-kilometer route connecting Erbil, Sulaimani, and the Raparin Independent Administration to strengthen tourism and agricultural transport.