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The new tunnel, which is more than 4 kilometres long, links Sochi to five nearby towns.
Mr Putin arrived at the tunnel at the wheel of a 1956 GAZ-21 Volga car. The President met with Transport Minister Igor Levitin and Director of the Federal Office for Construction and Reconstruction of Roads in the Black Sea Coast Region Azat Asaturov. The two officials explained the tunnel’s specific technical features to the President.
Mr Putin viewed the facility designed to evacuate smoke from the tunnel in the event of fire, and also visited the dispatch office where all events in the tunnel are monitored 24 hours a day.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Putin congratulated all the district’s residents and the builders on the event.
Following the opening ceremony, Mr Levitin and Governor of Krasnodar Region Alexander Tkachev informed the President of further plans for building and reconstructing roads in the region.
Mr Putin then got back behind the wheel of the Volga and headed for the well-known resort of Krasanya Polyana, where the road from the newly opened tunnel leads, and spent some time with holidaymakers there.
August 19, 2005, Krasnodar Region