Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21
By Azad Hasanli – Trend:
The Government of Azerbaijan has asked the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to expand the second investment program for the development of the country's road network, a source in the government told Trend.
This $500 million program was approved in October 2012. Another $ 134 million under the program is provided by the government of the country. As noted in the Bank's review document on this program, as a result of two devaluations of the manat [in February and December 2015], $238 million of this amount was saved.
The government requests that the savings be directed to improving the roads M5, R57, R32 and M3 (the Yevlakh-Zagatala-border road with Georgia (M5), its branch R57, which leads to Sheki, the road Ujar-Zardab-Agjabedi (R32), as well as the highway M3 (Shorsulu-Masalli section)).
These roads are important from the point of view of strengthening the transit potential of Azerbaijan, the source said.
At the same time, the modernization of roads will reduce the travel time for goods that are sent from Georgia to Iran or back.
According to the source, it is not known when the bank plans to consider the proposal of the government.
Within the framework of the second investment program for the development of the road network of Azerbaijan, ADB has already helped to modernize the 30-kilometer section of the Masalli-Jalilabad road. The construction of a 33-km section of Jalilabad-Shorsulu road is also under way. This work is planned to be completed in January 2019.
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