ArmInfo.Under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan, a regular meeting of the Council for the Management of Investment Programs of the North-South Road Corridor, Sustainable Urban Development and the Northern Corridor Modernization Program, as well as the reconstruction and improvement of the M6 Vanadzor-Alaverdi- Georgia border interstate highway (km 38 + 450 km 90 + 191) was held in the government.
According to the press service of the government, the meeting approved a tender package for the construction of a section of the M1 Yerevan-Gyumri-Bavra road 37 + 545 km to 71 + 435 km / about 34 km / within the framework of the North-South Road Corridor Investment Program - Tranche 2.
Earlier, a loan agreement was signed between the Asian Development Bank and the Republic of Armenia on providing an investment loan to finance the investment program North-South Road Corridor Investment Program - Tranche 2. As part of the program, during 2021-2022 it is planned to carry out road construction works on M1 Yerevan-Gyumri-Bavra, near Agarak community (29+600 to 37+545 km / about 8 km/) and M1 Yerevan-Gyumri-Bavra (37+545 to 71+435 km / about 34 km /). At the meeting of the Governing Council, other issues on the agenda were also discussed.
The North-South project will reduce the distance from the Iranian border to the Georgian border from 556 to 490 kilometers. The road will significantly facilitate access to the Black Sea not only for Armenia, but also for Iran. The project will provide access to the Black Sea and European countries through the territory of Armenia (Meghri-Kapan-Goris-Yerevan-Ashtarak-Gyumri-Bavra) and Georgia. The corridor was originally scheduled to be completed in 2019. The cost of the program was constantly revised upwards. Meanwhile, in September 2012, when the construction of the highway began, the amount, which was mentioned by representatives of the Armenian government, was many times less - $962 million. In 2009, the Asian Development Bank already provided more than half a billion US dollars for the construction of the highway. Earlier it was reported that the reconstruction of the M6 highway (Vanadzor - Alaverdi - border with Georgia) will be completed on August 31, 2021. The repair work is being carried out with a loan from the Asian Development Bank in the amount of $50 million. As a result of the construction, the travel time from Vanadzor to the border with Georgia will be reduced, the capacity of the road will increase to 3,500 vehicles per day instead of the previous 2,800. The works have been postponed due to the construction of additional drainage lines, the installation of new sewer pipes, as well as due to the crisis events of 2020.
