By Vugar Khalilov
Azerbaijan is speedily reconstructing roads on its territories liberated from Armenia's occupation in 2020, the State Agency of Azerbaijan Automobile Roads reported on December 1.
The construction of the Shukurbayli-Jabrayil-Hadrut highway, which is one of the road infrastructure projects implemented in the Karabakh and East Zangazur economic regions, is underway, the report added.
The 39.7-km-long Shukurbayli-Jabrayil-Hadrut highway starts from the part of the Hajigabul-Minjivan-Zangazur corridor passing through Shukurbayli village of Jabrayil region and extends to Hadrut settlement of Khojavand region.
The four-lane (14m wide) highway is being constructed in line with the first technical category under the Karabakh region's development plan.
The state agency noted that local companies, which are specialized in road construction, have been involved in the project to complete the work in a short time.
It was added that earthworks and construction of other facilities have already been completed on the first 11-km part of the highway. Moreover, in the first 3-km part of the way, a new roadbed was built, the road was profiled and a smooth asphalt-concrete pavement was laid. Currently, the bottom layer of the asphalt-concrete cover is being laid.
In the 3rd and 5th km section, the road was widened, the bottom and top layers of the foundation were built, and other construction work is being carried out in line with the technological order.
To ensure the transfer of water along the road, 38 circular pipes and seven rectangular water crossings, as well as 11 underpasses are being built to reduce the negative impact of the road on the environment, including fauna. The construction of 12 circular pipes and five underpasses was completed.
In general, the road is being widened and profiled and the construction of a 21.5m-wide roadbed is being carried out in line with the first technical level.
The construction of six road bridges is underway on the 1, 18, 19, 26, 30 and 38 km sections of the Shukurbayli-Jabrayil-Hadrut highway. One of the bridges is designed at the intersection of the Hajigabul-Minjivan-Zangazur corridor with the highway. This will facilitate access between the highways.
Rocks are being cut and a roadbed is being built by blasting the mountains in certain parts to obtain the project width of the road passing through the difficult terrain.
The construction is being carried out under the direct supervision of the Azerbaijan State Agency of Automobile Roads under the Construction Norms and Rules.
The Shukurbayli-Jabrayil-Hadrut highway passes through liberated Khojavand, Fuzuli and Jabrayil regions. The highway will cover about 20 settlements in the region, including Hadrut settlement and Jabrayil city.
In all, Azerbaijan allocated AZN 2.2bn ($1.3bn) for the reconstruction of the liberated territories in 2021. In particular, these funds will be used to restore the infrastructure (electricity, gas, water, communications, roads, education, health, etc), as well as cultural and historical monuments.
Azerbaijan liberated 300 city centers, settlements, villages, and the historic Shusha city in the war that lasted from September 27 to November 10. The Russian-brokered peace deal also stipulated the return of Kalbajar, Lachin and Aghdam regions occupied by the Armenian forces in the war in the early 1990s.