North-South highway construction launched, Armenia’s president says

KAPAN, April 17. /ARKA/. Construction of strategically important North-South highway’s first sector has been already set in motion in Armenia, Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan told the residents of Kapan town, located in Syunik province in southern Armenia. 

“North-South highway construction is really our significant initiative. We have not only prepared and discussed the program with the international organizations, but also launched the construction of the highway’s first sector,” Sargsyan said.

The road, meeting all world standards, will connect North and South of the country.

“This is not just a program related to ordinary infrastructure development, this is a project of strategic importance, that will change lots of things in the country,” the President said. 

Sargsyan also added that the highway will make Kapan and Syunik closer to the capital and the world in general, open new horizons for everyone, and “it is not about decades, but the next few years.”

On January 14, 2010, Armenian government approved the program of North-South highway construction as well as the $500-million agreement signed between Armenia and Asian Development Bank. The credit agreement on the first $70-million tranche was signed on October 12 2009, and the second $210 million tranche- on May 30 2011. 

Railway North-South will allow the Armenian side to use the alternative route of transportation of energy resources and other goods, obtaining access to outside world. Currently, railway communications between Armenia and foreign countries is provided only through the territory of Georgia.

Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan reported earlier that total cost of North-South highway construction is estimated $1.5 billion. —0--