Working Group on Transport, Communications and High Technologies holds regular meeting in Shusha
The Working Group on Transport, Communications and High Technologies under the Interdepartmental Center of the Coordination Headquarters established for centralized resolution of issues in the liberated territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan has held a regular meeting in the city of Shusha.
The meeting heard the information of relevant institutions on the work done regarding the implementation of the tasks set for the transport and communication infrastructure in the “First State Program on Great Return to the liberated territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan”, the ongoing projects and future plans, as well as the available opportunities related to the implementation of the projects, difficulties encountered and the ways to solve them were widely discussed.
Opening the meeting with an introductory speech, Rahman Hummatov, deputy minister of Digital Development and Transport, head of the working group, noted that the State Program Action Plan includes such strategic projects as rehabilitation and construction of roads and railways, construction of new airports: “Some of them – “Zafar Yolu” (“Victory Road”), a new highway without entering the city of Lachin, Fuzuli –Hadrut highway, Fuzuli and Zangilan international airports have already been successfully built. Work on the construction of Lachin Airport continues at a rapid pace, at the moment the overall level of implementation of work on the project is 53 percent.”
The deputy minister added that the construction of the Barda –Aghdam (47.1 km) and Horadiz –Aghband (110.4 km) railway lines is also ongoing. The physical progress of the projects is 83 and 44 percent, respectively.
Rahman Hummatov noted that construction work on 17 projects with a total length of 2157 kilometers are currently underway according to the schedule and most of them are roads of republican importance.
Then, the deputy minister informed about the work done and planned to develop the radio and television broadcasting, mobile communication and fixed communication network in the territories liberated from occupation. It was noted that at present 10 TV and 7 radio programs are broadcast through the restored radio-television stations in the region. 330 base stations have been installed to organize mobile communication services, including the territories liberated as a result of anti-terrorist operations. Telephone and high-speed Internet services are provided in Shusha, Lachin, Fuzuli, Zangilan and other regions.
Rahman Hummatov informed the participants of the meeting about the organized bus routes to the cities of Shusha, Aghdam and Fuzuli through “Our way to Garabagh” portal (www.yolumuzgarabaga.az ). “A total of 639 trips were made in this direction, 26,226 passengers travelled to the territories liberated from occupation.”
The deputy minister also noted that telephone and high-speed internet services on the basis of new technologies are provided to subscribers in Shusha city, design work to provide telecommunication services to public buildings under construction and restoration continues, work on laying backbone and subscriber FOCLs (fiber-optical communication lines) in different directions are underway.
During the meeting, the issues of construction of road and transport infrastructure, organization of road and passenger transport, existing demand and opportunities in the liberated territories, including in the city of Shusha, were widely discussed.
Elmir Velizade, head of sector of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Kanan Guliyev, assistant to the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Shusha city, Avaz Gojayev, deputy chairman of the Board of Azerbaijan Highway State Agency, Nazim Talibov, advisor to the chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, as well as other participants spoke about the importance of infrastructure projects implemented under the First State Program on the Great Return to the territories liberated from occupation, their implementation by the relevant agencies in coordination through the Interagency Center, constant control over observance of mine safety measures in the territories, resettlement of population to newly built residential areas and provision of employment, upcoming tasks and other important issues.
The meeting adopted relevant decisions on the timely implementation of measures envisaged by the State Program in the sphere, taking joint measures with relevant institutions, as well as the need to apply modern technologies in construction and restoration work and other issues.
During the visit, the participants have viewed some projects implemented in these areas, including the construction of internal road network of Shusha city, the work done on construction of telecoms network and organization of communication services in the city, as well as the construction of an alternative road with 4-6 lane Ahmadbeyli Fizuli–Shusha.
