Recent images from Lot 2 Boița-Cornetu, from the Olt Valley, of the Sibiu-Pitesti highway, caught in early August 2025, bring to the fore a surprising reality.
Just one day after the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Transport, Irinel Scrioșteanu, boasts of social networks (See video 1) With the beginning of the works at the first tunnel and with the advance in the execution of the viaducts, the reality on the ground seemed to tell another story.
A few days before, the general manager of CNAIR, Cristian Pistol, transmitted trusted messages regarding the mobilization of the builder. In his statements, he stated that the MAPA -CENGIZ association brought 138 workers and 59 machines for the construction of the Boița viaduct (650 m), before the first tunnel of Section 2. In the press, these statements were interpreted as a massive mobilization of the manufacturer, some even titing that “The Turks gave the site on the site”. Pistol also added that the work is expected to be completed before the deadline.
Only the images on the ground say something else (See video 2). This discrepancy between statements and reality raises serious question marks about the future of one of the most anticipated infrastructure projects in Romania.
Hundreds of workers and equipment: in only quiet images. Between the declared mobilization and the reality on the ground
The site, caught on August 1 in unofficial video images posted on YouTube by Ioan Adrian Gică – a passionate who created a special channel dedicated to the exact and updated information about the infrastructure projects in Romania – displayed an almost suspicious peace at dawn.
The activity from the first hours reflects a slow work rate in the Boița – Sibiu area, where the Turkish -Cengiz manufacturer continues, with a light mobilization, the installation of the tower cranes for the Boița viaduct and the drilling and excavations for three other viaducts. Further, towards the Olt Gorge, the works seemed to be completely stagnant.
However, regarding these images, the question is born: where are the over 130 workers and the approximately 60 machines that the general manager of CNAIR, Cristian Pistol, claimed to work on the Boița viaduct.
The Boița Viaduct before the Olt Gorge of the Sibiu-Pitești Highway Capture Video YouTube
The comments of the Internet users were also divided: some expressed their confidence, reminiscent of similar mountain projects made by the same builder in regions as Bosnia, while others have criticized the slow pace- “Almost 1 km in a year and a half” – even anticipating termination of the contract.
The works advance, the officials say. The first work in which four -line lines will be used
Just one day before the quiet images on the site become viral, the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Transport, Irinel Scrioșteanu, post on his social account an optimistic message about the progress of the works.
“The work was started at the first tunnel in this section. I came especially on the site to see the mobilization of the Turkish manufacturer”, declared the official, adding that the building permit had been issued just two weeks before and that the excavations and the preparation of platforms for the four viaducts authorized between KM 14+150 and km 17+670, on the Sibiu – Vâlcea direction.
According to Scrioșteanu, the works at the Robești tunnel, about 900 meters, from Câineni – Vâlcea, were started simultaneously at both ends. “Here we have a machine that strengthens the slope”explains the Secretary of State, referring to the need to discover and strengthen the area, due to the lower positioning of the southern portal.
He stressed that, being the first tunnel on Lot 2 Boița Cornetu, attention must be maximum, mentioning how this work will be performed: “The machines for digging the tunnel with the Austrian method have already arrived on the site. There will be four open -out lines in both directions, and the machines are new, modern. This will be the first work where all four work fronts will be used. Other machines are to arrive, because seven tunnels are planned.”
Thus, according to the official statements, the works advances on the Olt Valley, on the right side of DN7, in the direction of walking Sibiu – Râmnicu Vâlcea.
What does not show official images
The images broadcast by the official of the Ministry of Transport were focused on the Robești area, from Vâlcea county-in the middle of Lot 2 Boița-Cornetu-where, during the visit, the future Robești tunnel was worked.
From Scrioșteanu's statements, however, it appears that the efforts to work target the entire section, from Robești to Boița. Moreover, even the general manager of CNAIR, Cristian Pistol, mentioned the presence of a significant number of workers and equipment even in the area of the Boița viaduct, emphasizing the intensity of the activity in that part of the site.
In contrast, the independent images captured by Ioan Adrian Gică, published on his YouTube channel dedicated to the infrastructure, focused on the northern end of the section, the Boița area (Sibiu), where the first viaduct of lot 2 is built for connection with lot 1.
Only, here, the atmosphere in the first hours of the morning, seemed much more relaxed, with a little visible activity – an obvious contrast to the mobilization officially presented in the mountain area and far from the image transmitted by statements.
The Boița Viaduct Site on Lot 2 Boița Cornetu of the Sibiu Pitești Highway Capture Video
Lot 2 Boița -Cornetu: the most difficult section of the Sibiu -Pitesti highway. Ready in 2028?
The contract for section 2 Boița -Cornetu provides for the construction of over 31 kilometers of highway, along with 48 bridges and viaducts, as well as seven tunnels with lengths between 250 and 1,590 meters. An important element is also the ecoduct in the area of Lazaret (Sibiu), with a length of 210 meters, which will cross the Olt river, the railway and the national/European road DN7/E81.
This section is considered the most difficult of the A1 Sibiu -Pitești highway, due to the complicated mountainous ground in the Southern Carpathians, which crosses the Olt Gorge, an area with unstable land that requires complex works of the slopes, besides tunnels and viaducts. The impact is amplified by the restrictions imposed by the proximity of the Olt river, the railway and the DN7/E81 road, which must be protected and harmoniously integrated into the project.
It is worth mentioning that, although Lot 2 Boița Cornetu is an extremely difficult section, the most expensive segment of the A1 Sibiu-Pitești highway is Lot 3 Cornetu-Tigveni, with a length of 37.4 km, which includes the longest road tunnel in Romania, Poiana tunnel, of 1.7 km. The contract for this lot exceeds 5.3 billion lei (excluding VAT), ie about 1 billion euros.
By comparison, the value of the execution of Lot 2 Boița – Cornetu (Sibiu – Vâlcea) is over 4.2 billion lei (excluding VAT). The works must be completed, according to the contract, in 2028. The section is part of the most important road infrastructure project in Romania, registered in the investment program 2021-2030 for the development of the transport infrastructure. It is the first section of highway that crosses the Carpathians, marking a premiere in the history of infrastructure in the country.
