Anar Najafli: "During years of occupation, not only settlements, but also roads were vandalized"

The post-conflict development of the liberated territories of Azerbaijan provides for the creation and restoration of infrastructure, including amelioration and irrigation systems, electricity, gas, water supply, sanitation, as well as roads. Head of Press Secretary of State Agency Azerbaijan Automobile Roads Anar Najafli told Vestnik Kavkaza about the prospects for the construction of roads.

- What is the total length of roads in the territories liberated from the occupation?

- On the liberated territories there are 2,661 km of roads of local and republican significance, including bridges, road junctions and other road infrastructure. During the years of occupation, not only settlements were vandalized, but also roads, a significant part of which was destroyed. We plan to restore the entire infrastructure along these roads and build new ones. Now, short-term and long-term programs are being prepared to restore all the liberated territories, with a particular focus on the construction and restoration of roads.

- What highways are being constructed or rehabilitated?

- The process of construction of the Fizuli-Shusha road is already underway. During the president's visit to Fizuli region, the foundation of this road was laid and construction was started. The total length of this four-lane road will be 101.5 km. Considering the development prospects of Karabakh and the city of Shusha, this road will be very wide. It will be built as soon as possible. Now, both local and foreign companies are being involved in the process. The road passes through a very difficult to access, but at the same time picturesque area, through mountains and dense forests. I am sure that in the near future, citizens will be able to see all the beauty of these lands while driving along this road.

- What will happen with the road located on the liberated part along the Iranian border, which stretches right up to the Armenian border?

- We have the Hajigabul - Bahramtepe - Horadiz - Minjivan - Armenian border highway. Part of this road Hajigabul - Horadiz was completely restored according to the standards of the second technical level, and the rest part of Horadiz - Minjivan - Armenian border was under occupation and pretty much destroyed. Probably everyone saw the video of President Ilham Aliyev driving along this part towards the Khudaferin bridge. A new road is required to be built here and a plan for the construction of a 118 km long road has already been prepared. After the project is approved by the relevant authorities, the construction of a new road will start in a short time. We have a large enough material and technical base to implement these plans.

- In one of his last speeches, President Ilham Aliyev announced the construction of the Agdam-Khankendi road in the future. Are there any plans for this direction being developed?

- There is a republican road from Agdam to Khankendi along the Agjabedi - Hindarkh - Agdam - Khankendi route. Earlier there was an opportunity to get to Shusha along this road. However, after the well-known events, this road is out of service. I think that in the near future it will be possible to use it again. On the instructions of the head of state, the construction of a wide road from Fizuli is already underway. The plans for other directions are being developed. They clearly describe all the work on the restoration and construction of new roads in the liberated territories. Among other things, we have republican roads in the de-occupied region, such as Barda - Terter - Kelbajar - Istisu and Ganja - Goygol - Kelbajar - Lachin. These roads will also be restored. At the moment, restoration work is underway in two directions: the Terter - Sugovushan road in the north and the Fizuli - Shusha road in the south.