Manuk Vardanyan: unprecedented scope of works was carried out in road construction in 2009

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Minister of Transport and Communication Manuk Vardanyan said that unprecedented scope of works was carried out in road construction in 2009: 411km-long roads were restored, out of which 112km - at the expense of budget funds (AMD 11.5bln); 85km have already been put in commission.

153.15km and 140.57km were restored through the assistance of the World Bank and Eurasian Development Bank respectively, Vardanyan told journalists on June 28.

The Minister noted that the 2010 budget envisages AMD 2bln for construction industry. Besides, restoration of 84km-long roads is foreseen through the WB financing at the amount of AMD 10bln.

According to Vardanyan, a $50mln protocol on additional financing for implementation of the second stage of the Lifeline Road Improvement program (with total length of around 190km) was signed on June 8, 2010. Meanwhile, $10mln out of this sum will be allocated from the Armenian state budget.

The Minister added that around 3000 job opportunities were created in 2009 with involvement of local labor force.

Besides, negotiations are under way with the Asian Development Bank for the attraction of $8mln to prolong implementation of construction works on restoration of 117.8 km by mid-2011.

AMD 5.5bln are supposed for maintenance and exploitation of transport facilities, as well as of highways of interstate and state importance with total length of 3,393km.