Minister: another 502 km of Armenian roads will be repaired in 2020
23.12.2019,
15:40
The construction of the North-South road corridor in Armenia will continue in 2002 in addition to major renovation of another 502 km of roads, Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Minister Suren Papikyan told reporters on Monday.
YEREVAN, December 23. /ARKA/. The construction of the North-South road corridor in Armenia will continue in 2002 in addition to major renovation of another 502 km of roads, Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Minister Suren Papikyan told reporters on Monday.
He said part of the North-South corridor program is now frozen because the government terminated the contract with the Spanish company chosen earlier by the government to upgrade more than 90 kilometers of roads of the project.
The company, Corsan Corviam Construccion, was charged earlier this year by Armenian law enforcement agency with fraud and embezzlement.
According to Papikyan, the construction of the Talin-Gyumri section carried out by a Chinese company, is underway and is supposed to be commissioned in 2020. He also said that a tender for the construction of a new section will be announced in September or October 2020.
Papikyan said also as of December 1, 2019, 360 km of community roads were renovated, up from the planned 330 km.
"We consider this a great achievement, since the repaired roads meet high quality standards. However, there are still unscrupulous contractors, which are being penalized," the minister said.
He said another 502 km of roads are to be renovated in 2020. Besides, a special lab will be set up at the border to check the quality of imported bitumen used to build and repair the roads.. -0-
He said part of the North-South corridor program is now frozen because the government terminated the contract with the Spanish company chosen earlier by the government to upgrade more than 90 kilometers of roads of the project.
The company, Corsan Corviam Construccion, was charged earlier this year by Armenian law enforcement agency with fraud and embezzlement.
According to Papikyan, the construction of the Talin-Gyumri section carried out by a Chinese company, is underway and is supposed to be commissioned in 2020. He also said that a tender for the construction of a new section will be announced in September or October 2020.
The goal of the North-South 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. 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.
"We consider this a great achievement, since the repaired roads meet high quality standards. However, there are still unscrupulous contractors, which are being penalized," the minister said.
He said another 502 km of roads are to be renovated in 2020. Besides, a special lab will be set up at the border to check the quality of imported bitumen used to build and repair the roads.. -0-
