Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani officially inaugurated the strategic Korre-Shaqlawa-Qandil road project on Thursday, marking a major infrastructure development aimed at boosting regional trade, tourism, and transit efficiency.
The project features a 10 kilometer dual carriageway, the Mirawa and Mawaran tunnels, and three modern interchanges connecting Pirmam, Shaqlawa, Mawaran, and Kawanyan. Constructed through challenging mountainous terrain by North Light Company, the route is expected to shorten travel times between Erbil and the Soran Independent Administration by approximately 30 minutes while improving connectivity toward the Haji Omeran border crossing with Iran.
A unique aspect of the new highway is a musical road installation designed to play the national anthem, “Ey Raqib,” as vehicles travel over a designated section at 80 kilometers per hour. Barzani highlighted the installation as a creative celebration of Kurdish national identity alongside modern engineering standards.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Barzani urged motorists to adhere strictly to traffic safety guidelines while enjoying the updated infrastructure. The development forms part of the Ninth KRG Cabinet’s ongoing initiative to modernize transit networks and expand economic infrastructure across the Kurdistan Region.
