HOUSING PROBLEMS OF 6,985 FAMILIES TO BE SOLVED BY 2013

Noyan Tapan
Oct 20, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTPOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Holiday of City was celebrated
in Gyumri, the second largest city of Armenia, on October 18. The
implementation of an urban development project was launched on the
same day, thanks to which 2,300-3,000 apartments as well as service
facilities will be built in Gyumri’s Ani and Mush districts. The
progam’s executives presented the project, which will be implemented by
Glendale Hills company – the winner of a tender, to Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan who visited Gymri.

The RA minister of urban development Vardan Vardanian said that as
a result of the project, the "disaster zone" will be transformed
into a zone of "development and proper life". According to him, since
Armenia’s independence, the housing conditions of more than 60 thousand
homeless families have been improved with state budgetary resources,
funds of the Lincy Foundation, "Hayastan" All-Armenian Fund and other
foundations, but the problem has not been solved completely. The
minister noted that the problem was one of the key issues included
in the pre-election program of Serzh Sargsyan and one of the first
tasks of S. Sargsyan as the newly-elected president. Based on it, the
Armenian government developed and approved the concept of solving the
housing problems of the families left homeless by the earthquake. Under
the concept, it is envisaged solving housing problems of 6,985 families
by 2013, including 4,420 families in Shirak marz, 2,403 in Lori marz,
149 in Aragatsotn marz, 13 families in Tavush marz, with the total
dwelling space of 600 thousand square meters to be constructed.

According to the minister, construction work to be done in Mush
and Ani districts will finish in 2010. Tenders were also announced
for apartment construction in rural communities of Lori and Shirak
marzes, and construction work will start in these communities by mid
November. About 40 billion drams will be allocated from the state
budget for construction work in Gyumri, and a total of 80-82 billion
drams will be spent on restoration of the earthquake zone.

The RA deputy minister of urban development, Chief Architect of Armenia
Narek Sargsian said that the project’s implementation will allow to
develop the center of Gyumri as a tourist zone, also developing the
traditional handicrafts such as blacksmith’s work, carpentry, carpet
making and others, and finally to achieve those features and colors
that existed in Gyumri before the earthquake.

The mayor of Gyumri Vardan Ghukasian informed reporters that the city
has a population of 200 thousand, whereas before the earthquake its
population made 350 thousand. In his words, the budget of Yerevan
makes 125 billion drams, that of Gyumri amounts to 3 billion 200
million drams. According to him, among the city’s problems are
asphalt laying, construction of cultural facilities, job creation,
small and medium business development, planting of greenery, and
street lighting installation.