Russian Transport Ministry: By the end of the year, the total number  of lanes at the Upper Lars checkpoint will reach 39

ArmInfo. The Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation is working at a faster pace to increase the throughput of checkpoints, including the Upper Lars  checkpoint on the Russian-Georgian border. TASS reports, with  reference to the press service of the state department of the Russian  Federation.

The Ministry noted that by July of this year, an additional 12 lanes  will be introduced, by the end of the year another 12. Thus, the  total number of lanes at the Upper Lars checkpoint will reach 39.   More than 120 people are currently involved in the reconstruction of  the checkpoint.

According to the source, there are now about 900 trucks on the way  out of Russia towards Georgia, the average clearance time of which  does not exceed 2-3 days. The Ministry of Transport explained that  earlier, up to 1.5 thousand cars passed at this checkpoint during the  peak periods. "To date, the measures taken have made it possible to  increase the throughput of the checkpoint to 2.3 thousand vehicles,  of which 1.1 thousand trucks," the report says.

The former Georgian military road through the checkpoint "Upper Lars"  since the beginning of the1990s has become the only land route that  provides communication between Armenia and Russia. The checkpoint is  periodically closed - in winter due to avalanches, and in spring due  to mudflows.

It should be noted that recently the Ministry of Economy of Armenia  in June of this year announced the launch of a regular ferry service  from the Georgian port of Poti to the Russian port of Caucasus. The  state intends to subsidize this ferry service, at the same time as  the South Caucasian Railway (SCR) will reduce tariffs (by 30%)  towards Russia with a link to the Eurasian railway system. According  to Economy Minister Vahan Kerobyan, the Russian (by 50%) and Georgian  (by 25%) railways will also reduce tariffs.

"With this decision, the government is launching regular rail links  with the EAEU railway system, which will connect Armenia not only  with Russia, but also with other EAEU countries, in particular  Belarus and the countries of Central Asia. As a result, we believe  that trade with these countries and the non-European part of Russia  will increase significantly>, he said.