Mirawa, Mawaran Tunnels Near Completion on Key Kurdistan Route

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The strategic Korre-Shaqlawa-Qandil road project, including the Mirawa and Mawaran tunnels, is nearing completion as work advances on a major transport corridor intended to improve travel between Erbil, Shaqlawa and the Soran area.

The project was launched on the instructions of Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and includes a 10-kilometer dual-carriageway express road, two tunnels and three modern overpasses and underpasses.

The road is designed to provide a faster and safer connection through mountainous terrain and form part of the broader route linking Erbil with the Soran Independent Administration and the Haji Omeran international border crossing.

Previous Kurdistan24 reporting said the project had reached about 70% completion by early September, with work progressing on both tunnels and related infrastructure.

Construction on the Mawaran Tunnel was advancing rapidly, while lighting and safety systems had already been installed inside the Mirawa Tunnel.

The project also includes an emergency escape ramp for heavy vehicles that suffer brake failure, allowing trucks to leave the main roadway safely rather than continuing downhill without control.

Once completed, the new route is expected to reduce travel time between Erbil and the Soran administration by more than 30 minutes.

The project is also intended to improve winter travel.

The existing route across Mount Safin can become difficult during periods of heavy snow and severe weather, creating delays and raising safety concerns for motorists.

By shifting traffic through the new tunnels and upgraded roadway, the project is expected to offer a more reliable year-round connection.

The corridor also carries economic importance because it forms part of the route toward Haji Omeran, one of the Kurdistan Region’s major international border crossings.

Improved road access is expected to benefit freight traffic as well as passenger movement between Erbil and northeastern districts.

The route is also heavily used by tourists traveling toward Shaqlawa, Soran, Rawanduz and other mountain destinations, particularly during holiday periods.

For that reason, officials have presented the project not only as a road-safety investment but also as infrastructure intended to support tourism and commercial activity.

The Korre-Shaqlawa-Qandil scheme forms part of a broader road-building program under the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ninth Cabinet.

That program includes new highways, bridges, tunnels and rehabilitation works across the Kurdistan Region.

The strategic importance of the project lies in combining several objectives along a single corridor: reducing journey times, improving winter reliability, lowering accident risks and strengthening access to tourism areas and international trade routes.

With construction now approaching completion, the road and its two tunnels are expected to become a major part of the transport link between Erbil and the mountainous northeast of the Kurdistan Region.