Head of the Urban Development Committee: Project for improvement of the Lchashen - Sevan peninsula site will stimulate investment in the region

ArmInfo. Chairman of the Urban Development Committee of Armenia Avetik Eloyan gave a new impetus to the project, which started in 2018 on the territory of the Sevan National Park, the press service of the Committee reports.

In order to develop tourism in the area of Lchashen - Sevan peninsula of the "Sevan" national park it is proposed to drastically change both legal regulation relating to the territory, and the principles of zonality and development. "Thus, attractive conditions for investment will be created," the report notes.

According to Eloyan, the project will stimulate investment in the region. The zonality created on the Lchashen - Sevan peninsula site will allow to naturally develop the whole territory. Taking the linear development principle as a basis, on the coastal pedestrian road 10 km long (promenade), cottages, hotels will be built, which will be separated from active recreation areas, catering facilities, landscaped gardens, leisure and other service facilities and trade points.

To recall, back under the Cabinet of Karen Karapetyan, the government thought about increasing the commercial return of the territory of the Sevan National Park. It was noted that Lake Sevan and the adjacent territories are not only of key importance in environmental and social terms, but also have serious economic potential, in particular, in terms of the development of tourism. On July 17, 2018, at government meeting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that Lake Sevan and the national park are of great importance not only from an environmental, but also from an economic point of view.  According to him, one should understand the problems that impede the development of tourism in coastal areas and solve them step by step.  In particular, they talked about imperfect infrastructures, improper organization of garbage collection, the presence of illegal buildings, the discrepancy between the quality of services provided and current prices, the level of organization of public beaches. As another major issue, he pointed out the need to verify rental contracts. According to Pashinyan, the lease of territories for the national park should become a serious source of income.

The importance was also attached to the zoning of territories near the lake, the development of a master plan. It was proposed to consider the possibility of creating an alley at the first stage of land improvement.  This idea was approved by the head of government.  Lake Sevan is the main source of drinking water in the region, one of the largest alpine lakes in Europe and Asia, located in the heart of the Armenian Highlands, at an altitude of 1914 meters. In length, from the northwest to the southeast, the lake stretches over 70 kilometers, and its water surface reaches almost 1,5 thousand square kilometers. The only source originating from the lake is the Hrazdan River (a tributary of the Araks), with 28 rivers flowing into it, the total basin area of which is 2,776 sq. kilometers. By 2030, the lake level will be raised to the optimal 1903.5 m.