ArmInfo.Armenia is starting field work on the Armenian section of the Yeraskh - Julfa - Ordubad - Meghri - Horadiz railway. The corresponding decision was made on March 3 at the meeting of the RA government.
As Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan stated, the adopted project proposes to carry out work before drawing up the terms of reference for the project on a section of about 43 km of the Yeraskh-Meghri railway in order to conduct geodetic studies on this section and, based on the results of the studies, clarify the criteria by which further design work will be ordered.
He noted that studies will be carried out on the appropriate section in terms of tunnels, halls, stations, some sections of intersections, etc. "Now there is a need for their professional assessment, we are sending a specialized group to conduct research, an expert group," the Minister said. According to him, the group mainly consists of scientists and specialists from the National University of Architecture and Construction. Two representatives of "South-Caucasian Railway" CJSC (SCR) will work together with them.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that field work on the Armenian section of the Yeraskh- Julfa-Ordubad-Meghri-Horadiz railway is being started. "This is a very important event. I would like to express the hope that we will simultaneously consolidate de jure the agreements that were reached during the trilateral meetings in Sochi and Brussels in 2021. But until this moment, the work does not stop, we work in parallel to rationally use time," he said.
In turn, Artashes Tumanyan, head of the working group of the Armenia-Azerbaijan railway restoration program, noted that a specialized group of 9 people, headed by the rector of the National University of Architecture and Construction, will go to Meghri tomorrow. Representatives of the SCR will join them on Monday. Within two to three weeks, geodetic and geological studies will be carried out, the results of a comprehensive study will form the basis of the assignment and the project, he noted.
As the Prime Minister noted, all this can be considered within the framework of the "Armenian Crossroads" program. Pashinyan also noted the importance of carrying out work on the possible launch of automobile communication. According to the prime minister, the issue of integrating these routes with the North-South corridor is also being discussed. "Field work has also been launched on this issue for more specifics," he said.
On February 3, at a government meeting, RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that Yerevan is already discussing practical issues of the construction of the Yeraskh-Julfa-Ordubad-Meghri-Horadiz railway. According to Pashinyan, the parties are close to announcing the first results of the work of the trilateral group. "We have already reached agreements on this topic, an integral part of which is that we will build this railway, and which will operate on the territory of the Republic of Armenia within the framework of the legislation of the Republic of Armenia, and on the territory of Azerbaijan within the framework of the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan," the prime minister said. At this stage, the terms of reference for the road, its design, the start and financing of construction work are already being discussed. "I would not like to anticipate events, but if we continue this momentum, we can express confidence that the realization of this opportunity will become realistic in the near future," he said.
Earlier, RA Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, representing Armenia in the trilateral working group, said that the construction of a 45-kilometer railway in the Meghri section would cost about $200 million and take up to three years.
