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Nazrin Abdul

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The next meeting of the Working Group on Transport, Communication, and High Technologies convened in Khankendi, operating under the Inter-Departmental Centre of the Coordination Headquarters dedicated to addressing issues in Azerbaijan's liberated territories, Azernews reports.

The Ministry of Digital Development and Transport provided updates on ongoing projects and future plans, emphasising the strategic initiatives outlined in the "I State Program on the Great Return."

Deputy Minister and Head of the Working Group, Rahman Hummatov, noted that in accordance with the State Program, strategic projects such as the restoration and construction of roads and railways, the building of new airports, and the establishment of telecommunication networks are currently being executed in those territories.

Hummatov stated that the overall progress status of the construction works for Lachin Airport stands at 65%, and construction works for 26 highway projects with a total length of 2,500 kilometres are being carried out according to the schedule. He added that the construction works for the Barda-Aghdam (47.1 km) and Horadiz-Agband (110.4 km) railway lines are also ongoing. The projects have achieved physical progress of 92.5% and 52%, respectively. Additionally, works are underway for the preparation of project-estimate documents for the Aghdam-Khankendi railway line.

It was noted that the Azerbaijan Land Transport Agency is working on adding new bus routes and enhancing transportation services to meet the demands associated with the return of the population to the liberated territories. In order to expand tourist trips to Karabakh, citizens have been provided with the opportunity to visit Shusha city, Sugovushan settlement, and Lachin city through the "Yolumuz Karabakh" portal using private passenger cars.

According to the Master Plan of Lachin city, a transport plan has been prepared for the organisation of public transport services within the city, and works in Shusha city are ongoing. Furthermore, based on the conducted analyses, a draft of the transport plan for Khankendi city has been prepared, outlining planned intra-city route lines, bus stop locations, inter-city route networks, and other relevant aspects.

Discussions during the meeting covered a wide range of topics, including the development of necessary road infrastructure, public transport organisations, telecommunications services, and existing demands and opportunities in areas to be settled in the near future, including cities such as Khojaly and Khankendi, Karkijahan settlement, and Malibeyli village.

Later in the meeting, updates on radio-television broadcasting, mobile communication, and fixed telecommunication network works in the liberated territories were provided. Currently, restored radio-television broadcasting stations enable the broadcast of 10 television and 7 radio programs. Moreover, around 300 base stations have been installed for mobile telecommunication services, including in the areas freed from occupation. Telephone and high-speed internet services are available in various liberated areas.

Key stakeholders from government agencies addressed the meeting, highlighting the importance of infrastructure projects outlined in the "State Program for the Socio-Economic Development of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic for 2023-2027" and discussing upcoming tasks related to mine safety measures, population relocation, and employment assurance in newly built settlements.

Decisions were made to ensure the timely implementation of measures outlined in the State Program, enhance coordination among relevant institutions, and leverage modern technologies for construction and restoration efforts.

The visit also included inspections of the current situation of the internal road-transport network of Khankendi city, construction works for the telecommunication network and organisation of communication services in the city, and the construction works of the internal road-transport and communication network of Agdam city, along with the Barda-Aghdam and ongoing Agdam-Askaran-Khojaly-Khankendi-Shusha highways.

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