Armenia, Iran could build new bridge across border river – Deputy Minister

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia and Iran are working on a project to build a new bridge across the Araks River separating the two countries, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures of Armenia Kristina Galechyan has said.

A feasibility study for the design of the bridge is currently being prepared.

“We need to clarify the technical indicators for the construction of the bridge. In this case, the parameters of the functioning bridge, in particular its capacity, will be taken into account,” Sputnik Armenia Galechyan as saying on Wednesday, December 6.

The new bridge could possibly be built parallel to the existing one. At the same time, the Deputy Minister urged not to rush and wait for the completion of the feasibility study, which will help determine the length, width, capacity and other parameters of the new bridge.

Galechyan also weighed in on the construction of the southernmost section of the North-South highway – from the town of Agarak bordering Iran to the town of Qajaran (32 km) – noting that, in all likelihood, the active phase of work will begin in February 2024.

“The company must mobilize a large amount of equipment and set up a camp. According to our preliminary assessment, work will begin no later than February 2024. We are waiting for the Iranian company’s work plan,” Galechyan said.

The southernmost section of the North-South highway is being built by the Iranian consortium of companies Abad Rahan Pars and Tunnel Sadd Ariana. The contract was signed in Yerevan in October 2023. It was decided afterwards to establish an Armenia-Iran working group to build another border bridge on the Araks River.

The bridge operating on the border of two states has low capacity. In addition, the structure, erected in the last century, is already dilapidated. Armenia is revamping the Meghri checkpoint, planning to introduce modern technologies there that will speed up the inspection of cargo and the passage of cars.