Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

The World Bank (WB) is ready to increase the amount of funding for the implementation of Azerbaijan's new project on regional roads up to $250 million.

This was noted in the concept of the project published on the official website of the bank.

In accordance with the concept, the total cost of the project would be $368.33 million, some $250 million of which will be allocated by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, part of the WB).

These funds will be used for the reconstruction of two regional road sections and adjoining local roads with a total length of up to 100 kilometers.

Shirvan - Nokhudlu - Salyan (41 kilometers) and Salyan - Nefchala (43 kilometers) are the two main sites to receive the resources.

The consultations on technical supervision will also be considered within the framework of the project.

The loan is expected to be approved by the WB Board of Directors on October 16.

Earlier the WB planned to allocate $200 million to the project on reconstruction of roads in the south of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan has been a member of the WB since 1992. Total liabilities of the bank to the country have amounted to over $3 billion on 54 projects during this period. About $1.7 billion was allocated to the implementation of the road-transport projects.

The largest loan worth $670 million was allocated for improvement of the railway infrastructure and in particular, the reconstruction of the track on the Baku-Boyuk Kesik border with Georgia section.

The World Bank also finances the modernization and rehabilitation of road sections of the existing East-West and North-South corridors, namely the Alat-Masalli third highway, rehabilitation of the Kurdamir-Ujar section of the Baku-Georgian border highway, rehabilitation of the Baku- Shamakhi road, reconstruction of the road from Tagiyev settlement to the Sahil settlement bypassing Baku, Hajigabul-Bahramtepe road and expansion of the Baku-Shamakhi/Muganli highway.