PRESIDENT OF ARMENIAN IS DISCONTENT WITH QUALITY OF NEW BUILDINGS IN GYUMRI

ArmInfo
2009-12-23 20:04:00

ArmInfo. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan paid a visit to Gyumri to
familiarize himself with the process of construction of a new block of
houses Mush-2 for the people left homeless after the Spitak earthquake.

After having seen the new block of houses, the head of the state
convoked an unplanned meeting with participation of Vice Premier Armen
Gevorgyan, Minister of Urban Development Vardan Vardanyan, Governor
of Shirak region Lida Nanyan, Mayor of Gyumri Vardan Ghukasyan and
Director General of Glendale Hills construction company Vahe Almoyan.

During the meeting Serzh Sargsyan pointed out the problem of interior
furnishing of flats of Mush-2 and stressed that all the defects should
be removed, Press-secretary of Armenian President Samvel Farmanyan
told journalists after the closed meeting. The president stressed
that the flats should be gasificated, supplied with heating systems,
gas cookers, and the bath-rooms should be covered with tile. Sargsyan
said he had an impression that the builders tried to get rid of
the problems of homeless residents of Gyumri, and this approach is
inadmissible. "This will be the permanent place of residence of these
people, and all the minimal conditions should be ensured as, having
received a new flat, people want to live in normal conditions",-
he stressed.

According to Sargsyan’s instruction, all the defects in the new
buildings must be removed by 15 May 2010, afterwards the flats must
be provided to the residents. In addition, Farmanyan said that Serzh
Sargsyan stressed that special attention should be paid to improvement
of territories adjoining the Mush-2 block of houses as the new block
should have an infrastructure, including a school and a kindegarten,
and it should be connected with the center of the town by transport
communication. According to the president, the state departments,
private companies, including construction ones, should make a
conclusion on raising the quality of the construction work.

Minister of Urban Development of Armenia Vardan Vardanyan said that
the gas supply and heating problems pointed out by the President will
be resolved through budgetary financing. He said that the Mush-2
project will be completed in Apr 2010. "If we finish the project
10-15 days later than May 15 (the deadline set by the President),
it will be because of gas supply, planting and some other activities.

Dec 26 we will hold discussions and a draw of the names of aspirants
for apartments in Mush-2 residential area," Vardanyan said.

Director General of Glendale Hills Vahe Almoyan said that Mush-2
consists of 22 apartment houses with a total of 1.056 flats. The
houses can stand a 9-point earthquake. The state housing program in
Gyumri and Lori region costs 39.3bln AMD and envisages construction
of 52 four-storied houses with a total of 3,030 flats in Mush-2 and
Ani residential areas. Ani alone will consist of 5 houses with 254
apartments.

Glendale Hills was established in 2004 and is implementing state
program to give home to residents of Gyumri and Spitak whose houses
were destroyed by the earthquake of 1988. According to the preliminary
report of the National Statistical Service of Armenia, in Jan-Nov
2009 as compared with Jan-Nov 2008 Armenia’s construction sector
experienced a 38.4% decline. In Nov 2009 as compared with Oct 2009
construction in Armenia grew by 1.3% growth to 498bln AMD ($1.4bln).

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress