By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

The Azerbaijan Automobile Roads State Agency has designed and built 15 roads totaling 1,516.3 kilometers in territories liberated from Armenian occupation in 2020.

The agency's chairman, Saleh Mammadov, made the remarks during a press conference.

He stated that the construction is being carried out in accordance with President Ilham Aliyev's orders, which he signed to restore the liberated lands' road infrastructure.

Mammadov also stated that the section of the Zangazur corridor that runs through Azerbaijan is being built quickly and efficiently, as well as bridges and tunnels.

“Some sections of the road in Zangazur corridor are being paved in Azerbaijan. During the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, Armenia destroyed almost all of the infrastructure, including the roads in Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur,” he added.

He went on to say that one of the most important road infrastructure projects is the construction of Victory Road. Despite the fact that this two-lane 101-km road passes through difficult terrain, it was completed in less than 10 months. The road's opening ceremony was held on November 7, 2021, and the president was present, he said.

“This road connects Alkhanli village, Fuzuli International Airport, Fuzuli city, Boyuk Taghlar village, Topkhana forest, Dashalti village, and Shusha city and begins in Ahmadbayli village (149th kilometer of the Hajigabul-Horadiz-Aghband-Zangazur main road),” Mammadov added.

The chairman also recalled that during his visit to Shusha on January 14, 2021, President Aliyev laid the foundation of the Ahmadbayli-Fuzuli-Shusha highway.

"As with other road infrastructure projects in the Karabakh region, the second 81.6-km-highway, with four and six lanes and corresponding to the first technical category, connecting Fuzuli International Airport with Shusha city is being built quickly and efficiently," he said.

Mammadov stressed that the work is being done in two shifts to complete the Ahmadbayli-Fuzuli-Shusha highway by 2024.

"This road begins at the 157th kilometer of the Hajigabul-Horadiz-Aghband-Zangazur transport corridor. After bridges and tunnels are built on it, it will be 19.4 kilometers shorter than the Victory Road," he said.

According to Mammadov, the Horadiz-Jabrayil-Zangilan-Aghband (Zangazur corridor) highway is also being built quickly, with the foundation laid by the Azerbaijani and Russian leaders.

The chairman noted that the 123.6-km road is being built in accordance with the first technical category and is part of the Hajigabul-Horadiz-Aghband-Zangazur corridor, which is critical for connecting Zangilan to other regions of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

He also drew attention to the fact that the construction of the Toghanali-Kalbajar-Istisu four-lane road (80.7 km), the Kalbajar-Lachin two-lane road (72.8 km), two-lane road infrastructure in Kalbajar and Lachin regions (726.3 km), the Khudafarin-Gubadli-Lachin four-lane road (70.4 km), the Gubadli-Eyvazli two-lane road (28.5 km), Gubadli- Mahmudlu-Yaziduzu two-lane road on the border with Armenia (26.4 km), the Shukurbayli-Jabrayil-Hadrut four-lane road (39.7 km), the Fuzuli-Hadrut four-lane road (12 km), the Hadrut-Tugh- Azikh two-lane road (22 km), the Barda-Aghdam four-lane road (44.5 km), the Aghdam-Fuzuli four-lane road (64.8 km), the Talish-Tapgaragoyunlu-Gashalti two-lane road (22 km) is underway in Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur economic regions.

Mammadov stated during the conference that the planned date for the commissioning of Azerbaijan's Baku-Guba-Russian state border first toll highway has been announced.

According to him, the 152-km Baku-Guba-Russian state border road is still being constructed in accordance with the first technical category.

"Its construction is expected to be finished in 2022. It is also planned to widen a section of the Ganja-Georgian border M2 highway to four lanes of traffic," Mammadov explained.

He also stated that the highway being constructed to bypass Azerbaijan's Lachin region will be finished by July 2022.

"This 28-km-long road will connect six villages of the Lachin region. Its 17-km section and a bridge across the Hakari River have already been built. The road will be put into operation until July of this year," Mammadov finalized.