By Ani Patijan
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan traveled to Gyumri, Armenia to see the new, Russian second-generation electric train that will provide regular railway transit between Yerevan and Gyumri.
The decision to upgrade the train resulted from a November 2018 agreement that between Armenia’s Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies Hakob Ashakyan, Russian Minister of Transport Yevgeny Dietrich, and First Deputy Director General of Russian Railways Alexander Misharin.
Gyumri is the second largest city in Armenia, located 122 kilometers north of the capital.
During a press conference on November 20, Pashinyan told reporters that Gyumri’s development is a priority for the government of Armenia.
“We are believe that these investment programs create jobs in the disaster zone,” Pashinyan said.
In 1988, a 12 magnitude earthquake reduced the cities of Spitak, Gyumri, and nearby villages, to rubble.
The tragic event resulted in 25,000 death, rendered 140,000 people disabled, and left 500,000 homeless.
Since then, the city has remained in a partially ruinous state.
The earthquake destroyed a significant economic sector of Armenia’s industry.
Watch: The Aftermath of the Gyumri Earthquake on Al Jazeera
“By saying ‘disaster zone rehabilitation’ we should mean not only the restoration of people’s housing needs, but also the construction or restoration of schools and kindergartens, the reinstatement of our country’s economic potential in Gyumri, Vanadzor, Spitak,” said Pashinyan.
About 40 kilometers of long road sections are being restored with a $26 million loan. The program is supported by the World Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
On the streets, residents complained to the prime minister about the inconvenience caused by the construction work.
Pashinyan responded saying, “When we start construction, we have to think about the environment as well as provide the necessary good conditions for our citizens. We have urban development norms that we have to provide, and invest in a new urban culture.”
Pashinyan expressed conviction that the program will contribute to the development of the city and increase the number of tourists to Gyumri.
The Mayor of Gyumri, Samvel Balasanyan, said that the construction work will be completed by June 30, 2019.
Pashinyan also visited Shirak Airport in Gyumri and the district of ‘domiks’, which are temporary shelters built after the earthquake for families that lost their homes. There are approximately 3,000 people still living in temporary shelters.
Read More:
Gyumri Rising: Portrait of a City, 25 Years After the Earthquake
