Construction works for Mestia project in full swing
Author: Story by Nino Edilashvili
In order to fulfill the President’s new plan for tourism development, a three-shift system is being used to construct an airfield in Georgia’s Mestia region in mountainous Svaneti. The project is part of a grand scheme which aims to transform Mestia into a tourism hot spot as a ski resort.
“You can call it a whim, but I want to land in a helicopter in person on New Year’s Eve this year,” Mikheil Saakashvili told a government meeting in Batumi on Monday. He stated that a specially-arranged governmental team will take responsibility to oversee the ongoing works on site. Earlier in the year, as Saakashvili unveiled this grand project, he promised to ski down in Mestia in January 2011.
Surrounded by 3-5 thousand meter peaks, and lying at an altitude of 1,500 meters, Mestia is famous for its castles as well as a number of churches and forts which have been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
Under the project, a small-size airfield is being constructed which will receive small, 30-seat helicopters from national and international airports. In particular, it is planned to expand the old runways of the existing facilities from 700 square meters to 1,200 square meters in order to ensure the smooth operation of light-aircraft. In addition, a watch-tower, waiting room and terminal will be built to complete the facility.
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