Efforts underway to repair vital Gali Ali Beg Bridge after closure

SORAN — Efforts to repair the Gali Ali Beg bridge began Saturday, after a heavy truck collided with the structure on Friday, causing damage and forcing its closure. The road, a crucial transportation link between Erbil and Soran, has been rendered impassable, disrupting traffic.

Efforts to repair the Gali Ali Beg bridge began today, Saturday, after a truck hit forced its closure on Friday. The road is a vital link between Erbil and Soran.

Road maintenance teams have started work to stabilize the damaged road. However, officials remain uncertain about the success of the repairs.

“Initial assessments suggest that repairing the road will require approximately two weeks,” Agrin Abdullah, an official from the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Reconstruction told 964media. “If the repair efforts fail, we may need to replace the bridge with a new one, which could take over a month and require significant funding.”

The 12-kilometer Gali Ali Beg road is known for its challenging terrain. Regarding the two-lane expansion of the Gali Ali Beg road, Abdullah stated, “We have a project to make the road two-lane, extending over a length of 12 kilometers. Despite the challenging terrain, this initiative will help carve through the mountains and building bridges along the river where needed.”

Khosrat Sadiq, Director of Road Maintenance in Soran, told 964media, “Our teams are on-site, but the damage to the road is extensive. There’s a significant chance that the repairs may not be successful, and a replacement might be our only option.”

Karwan Mirawadeli, Director of Soran’s Civil Defense, echoed similar concerns, “The damage is severe, and even small vehicles cannot currently pass over it.”

He added, “Alternative route, the Bekhal-Khalifan road, is available, but it is not ideal and could create traffic congestion.”

The road closure has already caused heavy congestion on the Bekhal road, with long lines of vehicles forming as drivers attempt to bypass the blocked route. Soran’s traffic authorities have implemented measures to prevent further gridlock.

Mohsin Tahsin, a spokesperson for Soran Traffic Police, explained, “We have deployed seven teams to manage traffic and prevent further complications. However, increased truck pressure on the road remains a challenge.”