The landslide that damaged a section of the Smolyan–Pamporovo road on May 1 was not covered by the monitoring system, according to Todor Anastassov, Chairman of the Management Board of the Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA). Anastassov stated that the absence of visible external signs prior to the incident contributed to this gap, noting that early warning systems are currently installed only at pre-registered locations. The incident, which destroyed over 60 meters of the Smolyan-Pamporovo road, prompted the Smolyan Mayor to declare a state of emergency.
During a press conference held Monday by caretaker Minister Nikolay Naydenov, the Minister addressed the event and introduced a new system providing public access to RIA contracts. Reviewing the new data, the Minister revealed that the landslide site was not included for stabilization under a contract signed on October 23, 2019, between the RIA and “Avtomagistrali,” which was valued at over BGN 569 million. Furthermore, the system data indicated low implementation rates for landslide stabilization projects across the national road network over the past six years.
While describing the Smolyan–Pamporovo road incident as a “disaster,” Naydenov stated that while the landslide remains active, there is currently no direct risk to local populations or infrastructure. Expert analysis points toward “strong water saturation” of the soil as a primary cause, with investigations ongoing into rainfall, snowmelt, or potential reservoir seepage. The Minister outlined a lengthy recovery timeline: comprehensive surveys will take at least a month, followed by three months for design work, and construction could span six months to two years.
The new portal covers 752 sections and 227 roads with a total value exceeding EUR 5.9 billion.
Topics: #road #smolyan #pamporovo
