Serbia's longest tunnel nears completion: Opening date for the Iriški Venac Tunnel revealed

“The Iriški Venac Tunnel, part of the Fruška Gora Corridor, is located on the 16.5-kilometre section running from Paragovo to the beginning of the Ruma bypass. It is the longest road tunnel in Serbia. More than 80 per cent of the work on this section has been completed, and construction and tunnel equipment installation are expected to be finished by the end of the year. This will leave sufficient time for comprehensive testing of the systems and verification of their full functionality. We expect the tunnel and the entire section leading to Ruma to open to traffic in June, providing citizens with a more modern, safer and faster road connection,” Sofronijević said, according to a statement from the ministry.

Following her inspection of the construction site, she said the Fruška Gora Corridor would connect Vojvodina with western Serbia. Its construction will also allow transit traffic to be diverted from the mountain road and routed through a tunnel beneath Fruška Gora National Park.

“Completing the 3.5-kilometre Iriški Venac Tunnel will provide an important transport link while preserving the natural environment of Fruška Gora. We are committed to developing modern infrastructure that delivers tangible benefits to citizens, the economy and the country as a whole. Safety and the application of advanced technical solutions remain priorities throughout this project,” Minister Sofronijević said.

The tunnel was constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). Throughout construction, a system for continuously monitoring the concentration of harmful gases was in operation inside the tunnel, with predefined alarm thresholds, according to the ministry’s statement.

The tunnel is equipped with mechanical ventilation and smoke control, lighting, fire alarms, carbon monoxide detection, visibility monitoring, video surveillance, a public address system, SOS telephones and an automated control system.

Following the site visit, Sofronijević held a meeting with Du Fei, chairman of the Chinese company China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).

The discussions covered the implementation of the Fruška Gora Corridor project, as well as ongoing cooperation on planned infrastructure projects.

“We are grateful to our Chinese partners for their support and cooperation. Strong partnerships, effective coordination and a commitment to shared goals are essential for delivering major infrastructure projects,” Sofronijević said.