Project of bridge across Baku Bay, and new high-speed road to Georgian border

Recently, when in Tbilisi, you stressed a need to speed up work carried out as part of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project. Does this project still retain significance for all the three parties?

Indeed, in May, on the sidelines of the Conference on Transport Development in the South Caucasus, held by the World Bank in Georgia, I visited the construction and rehabilitation site of section of this road till the border with Turkey. The work is continuing there.

Excavation work was carried out at fast pace over the past months. Roadbed is ready for laying the rails at the 6 km section of the construction site. Work has started in other areas as well. The pace of construction is high enough. Regarding the importance of the project, it has not lost its relevance, of course. Georgian and Turkish side will actively participate in connection of railways. In an effort to coordinate future steps, meeting involving Turkey’s transport minister and Georgia’s economic development minister will take place in Baku in the first decade of July to analyze the work done and to outline further plans how we will join two of the counter areas of the new railway.

Have the ministry completed the delivery of large and medium-size passenger buses of foreign production to Baku? When decrepit small-sized buses will disappear from the Baku downtown?

This process is still underway. In general, over 3,000 such buses should operate to meet passenger transportation requirements. Some part of these buses has already been imported. Several private companies have concluded contracts for delivery of 1,000 buses. Some 518 have been delivered, and another 482 will will be delivered in the course of this year. So, the process of modernizing buses will still continue. I think that we will fully provide our citizens with new buses by next year.

As for small buses unsuitable for passenger transportation, they will be fully decommissioned. However, they will still operate on shorter routes, where there is a small volume of passenger traffic in city suburbs. But later they will be replaced with small buses that meet European standards. This task is expected to be accomplished in 2011-2012.

When the System of Intelligent Transport Management will be launched in Azerbaijan? Will it eliminate deliberate hold-on of buses at bus stops and subway stations?

This system will become fully operational by the middle of next year. Of course, it will be able to fully manage all processes. Admittedly, there are some drivers who cause problems in operation of buses. However, we can deal with this. The intelligent center will allow us to know about all the problems that exist in the movement of public transport. And knowing about these problems, it will be easier to deal with them. Possibly, at first this system will not achieve a positive result. But, I believe, in short term, we will be able to manage the entire process.

At what stage is the project of construction of a bridge over the Baku Bay? When the construction work will begin?

This process first requires complete feasibility study of the project and its primary design. Because there is still large amount of work to do. We plan to finance the construction of the bridge. Therefore, feasibility study should be developed as a first step. Later the companies that will build the bridge will be selected.

The bridge should be different for its design and unique construction. It will be important not only as a transport transition, but also as a symbol of the country. Because there are few similar bridges in the world. I guess once a feasibility study is in place, we will announce the start date for construction. The decision on timeframe of construction and location of the bridge across the bay will be made at the highest level.

Are water taxis expected to be resumed between central and outlying coastal areas of Baku?

This issue is still on agenda. But now we are more focused on providing convenient land transportation. To realize such projects, we try to involve private companies that will undertake water transport.

It is said that you are planning to build a separate high-speed highway from Baku to Gazakh. Is it true?

Yes, this project is also being developed. We plan to build a new highway that will stretch from Baku till the Georgian border. Basically, it will connect the big cities along this route. Moreover, it is estimated that this highway would be a paid ride.


/Day.Az/