Oversight Chamber ready to examine expenditure of north-south transport corridor construction
19.04.2016,
17:52
Armenia's Parliamentary Oversight Chamber is ready to incorporate an inquiry of the expenditure for the construction of the North-South transport corridor into its plan of actions for 2016, the deputy chairman of the Oversight Chamber Ara Nranyan said today at a discussion of the agency's performance in 2015.
YEREVAN, April 19. /ARKA/. Armenia's Parliamentary Oversight Chamber is ready to incorporate an inquiry of the expenditure for the construction of the North-South transport corridor into its plan of actions for 2016, the deputy chairman of the Oversight Chamber Ara Nranyan said today at a discussion of the agency's performance in 2015. The proposal was made by an opposition MP, former prime minister Hrant Bagratyan.
According to him, one billion USD were borrowed already for the construction of the corridor and another $150 million for the construction of a ring road in Yerevan, but what has been built so far is 60-70 km long sections of the road. He said the figures clearly indicate excessive costs, the compliance with which must be checked.
"A simple comparison of the amount spent so far and the result shows that the construction of the corridor will cost us more than the construction of a tunnel under La Manche", Bagratyan said, pointing to the existence of serious corruption risks.
The first two sections of the transport corridor were inaugurated on December 29 last year. The first, six-lane section stretches from Yerevan to Artashat and the second four-lane section runs from Yerevan to Ashtarak. Both have a 100-110 km/h speed limit and make up a total length of 31 km.
The goal of North-South Transport Corridor project is to upgrade Armenia’s main corridor road as part of a broader thrust to improve connectivity, and boost trade, growth and livelihood opportunities in the Caucasus and Central Asia sub-regions.
Funds are being released by the Asian Development Bank and the Eurasian Development Bank periodically through multi-tranche financing facilities. The transport corridor will stretch from the southern Armenian town of Meghri, on the border with Iran, to Bavra in the north on the border with Georgia. The North-South transport corridor will enable Armenia to mitigate the effects of the blockade imposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Currently the construction of the road is underway from Artashat to Ashtarak and from Ashtarak to Talin. The Ministry of Transport and Communications also is planning the implementation of separate smaller projects at various sections of the road in order to end the construction both in southern and northern directions by 2019. -0-
According to him, one billion USD were borrowed already for the construction of the corridor and another $150 million for the construction of a ring road in Yerevan, but what has been built so far is 60-70 km long sections of the road. He said the figures clearly indicate excessive costs, the compliance with which must be checked.
"A simple comparison of the amount spent so far and the result shows that the construction of the corridor will cost us more than the construction of a tunnel under La Manche", Bagratyan said, pointing to the existence of serious corruption risks.
The first two sections of the transport corridor were inaugurated on December 29 last year. The first, six-lane section stretches from Yerevan to Artashat and the second four-lane section runs from Yerevan to Ashtarak. Both have a 100-110 km/h speed limit and make up a total length of 31 km.
The goal of North-South Transport Corridor project is to upgrade Armenia’s main corridor road as part of a broader thrust to improve connectivity, and boost trade, growth and livelihood opportunities in the Caucasus and Central Asia sub-regions.
Funds are being released by the Asian Development Bank and the Eurasian Development Bank periodically through multi-tranche financing facilities. The transport corridor will stretch from the southern Armenian town of Meghri, on the border with Iran, to Bavra in the north on the border with Georgia. The North-South transport corridor will enable Armenia to mitigate the effects of the blockade imposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Currently the construction of the road is underway from Artashat to Ashtarak and from Ashtarak to Talin. The Ministry of Transport and Communications also is planning the implementation of separate smaller projects at various sections of the road in order to end the construction both in southern and northern directions by 2019. -0-
