Friday, February 7 2020 15:15

ArmInfo. The construction of the North-South Road Corridor  is one of the key projects and is of strategic importance for both Armenia and the region. On February 7,  during a meeting with a delegation of Asian Development Bank, headed  Dong-Soo Pyo, ADB's Director, Transport and Communications Division,  Central and West Asia Department, RA Minister of Territorial  Administration and Infrastructure Suren Papikyan stated.

According to the press service of the department, during the meeting  Suren Papikyan assured the guests that the Armenian government has  the political will to quickly resolve the problems. "At the same  time, we rely on the support of our partners in considering the  terminated work and choosing a consulting firm and share a mutually  important approach to completing work on time," the minister added.   Dong-Soo Pyo thanked the minister for the meeting and assured that  ADB was ready to help the government complete the program on time.  "The approval of the Financing Agreement for the "North- South Road  Corridor Investment Program" ifor the next five years was an  unprecedented decision by the Bank Council, so we must make every  effort to complete the project," Dong-Soo Pyo said.

It should be noted that in the framework of the third tranche of the  North-South program, a section of the Talin-Langik road with a length  of 18.7 km is currently under construction with ADB financial  assistance.  About 83% of the total volume of earthwork and about 59%  of the total volume of concrete structures were completed. Also,  under the second tranche, ADB funds are upgrading 42 km of the  Ashtarak-Talin road, within the framework of which there were  problems associated with the contractor, which necessitated the  involvement of a new project consultant and the preparation of tender  documents. Over ADB loans are also undergoing major repairs of the  51.7-kilometer section of the M-6 interstate highway to Bagratashen  on the Georgian border.  To recall,, Prosecutor General's Office, a  criminal case has opened following the results of the works of Corsan  Corviam Spanish company's, the work was suspended, and the company  itself was declared bankrupt. A loan agreement with the company was  signed on October 12, 2009. The tranche price is $ 70.4 million -  including taxes. ArmInfo reported that pits formed in the section of  the North-South transport corridor Yerevan-Artashat, which was  commissioned at the end of 2015, and cracks formed in a number of  sections. Meanwhile, according to the actual estimate of $ 2 million  per 1 km, the road should have been excellent.. The Spanish company  Corsan Corviam carried out work on this area.  The construction of  the entire 556-kilometer North-South motorway, which stretches from  Bavra to Meghri, will cost more than $ 2 billion. Meanwhile, in  September 2012, when the construction of the motorway began, the  amount called by the representatives of the Armenian government was  more than double less - $ 962 million. ADB provided $ 500 million for  the implementation of the project.