Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan traveled to Gyumri for a working visit on a new second-generation ЭП2Д electric train, which will provide for regular railway communication between Yerevan and Gyumri. Prior to this, the Prime Minister inspected the activities of the railway station. In particular, the ticket sales system was presented to the Prime Minister. Nikol Pashinyan also visited Armenia’s Railway Museum.

Nikol Pashinyan familiarized himself with the new electric train’s characteristics and capabilities. The Premier welcomed the decision made by the South Caucasus Railways to build up its rolling stock. A relevant agreement had been reached in November 2018 at a meeting held between RA Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies Hakob Arshakyan, RF Minister of Transport Yevgueny Dietrich and First Deputy Director General of Russian Railways Alexander Misharin.

The new train will be running weekly on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in the format of an express train without intermediate stops. This is the second modern unit to run on the most demanded intra-republican railway destination. Accompanied by the management of South Caucasus Railways, Nikol Pashinyan visited the car-repair and locomotive depot.

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The ЭП2Д electric train was procured by South-Caucasian Railways CJSC from Transmashholding Company. The duration of the railway trip from Yerevan to Gyumri is 2 hours and 10 minutes. The new trains will run four times a day: they will leave Yerevan at 09:40 and 17:15, and at 09:05 and 17:10 - in the opposite direction.

The ЭП2Д electric train meets the most stringent safety standards. The two-car train version is the most convenient for passenger traffic in Armenia.

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On his arrival in Gyumri by train, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was welcomed by Gyumri residents with great enthusiasm and warmth. The Premier talked to them in order to learn their problems. Accompanied by a large group of local population, Nikol Pashinyan headed for Tigran Mets Street adjacent to the railway station, where capital repairs are being carried out.

The residents of nearby residential buildings complained about the inconvenience caused by the ongoing construction activities. Prime Minister Pashinyan wondered whether the construction designers and the developers had thought of which way the residents should walk through.

“When starting a construction project, we must think about the environment, as well as provide the necessary conditions for citizens. We have urban development standards that should be complied with. In addition, we will have to introduce a new urban development culture and provide the necessary conditions for our citizens,” Nikol Pashinyan said and told those responsible to take this into account in the future. “Please invite the architects, the developers and tell them that construction does not mean at all that public life has to be suspended for a while,” the Premier underscored.

The Mayor of Gyumri advised that construction will be complete by this June 30. Currently construction and infrastructure rehabilitation works are being implemented both in the street and on the sidewalks.

Nikol Pashinyan next called at Cherkezi Dzor Company, which deals with fish breeding and fish processing, including the production of trout caviar. The Premier toured the facilities to get acquainted with the production process. He was told that 80% of products were exported to the United States, Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. The Company plans to develop non-traditional production with a new investment program, step up incubation activities and expand the livestock.

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The capital repairs of Tigran Mets Street in Gyumri are financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Construction work on a more than 1-kilometer-long road section started in 2018. It is envisaged to replace the curbs, asphalt laying and furnishing of the lighting network in Tigran Mets Street by July 24.

Some 40 streets will be repaired in Gyumri, funded by the EBRD and the World Bank. Renovation projects for five streets in Gyumri have already been approved under the 2019 Shirak Marz subvention program.

5-km-long road sections will be repaired and 515.5 million drams will be invested, of which 283.5 million drams - from the State budget.

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The Company also plans to implement a tourism development project in the Cherkezi Dzor area and build an eco village in Ureni Valley to boost agro-tourism.

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During his working visit, accompanied by Defense Minister David Tonoyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited Russian military base N102 in Gyumri.

After inspecting servicemen’s living and working conditions, the Prime Minister visited the museum of the military base. In conclusion, he signed the Book of Honorary Guests and called at the local church which operates in the territory of the military base.

Then Nikol Pashinyan went to the Gyumri city bus station, where he discussed with the city authorities and government representatives issues related to the future activities of the bus station, including its major overhaul and the possibility of turning it into a transportation hub.

Nikol Pashinyan next visited Shirak airport, where he was briefed on the ongoing investment programs. An infrastructure modernization program was said to have been implemented at the airport. Owing to extra investment, a new arrival hall will be built and other logistical problems will be addressed during the year. The annual passenger traffic has already exceeded the mark of 200 thousand.

Highlighting Shirak airport’s development program, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the steps aimed at improving infrastructures in Gyumri might help enhance the attractiveness of the city, revitalize the local economy and step up incoming tourism.

In conclusion, the Premier visited the village of prefabricated temporary shelters near the Gyumri bus station, met with the locals and took note of their housing problems. The Head of Government called on several households and got acquainted with their living conditions.

On the way back to Yerevan, the Prime Minister called at Maralik community and met with the local population.

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According to the Decree of the Prime Minister of Armenia dated December 20, 2018, in the urban and rural settlements of the Shirak region, the process of documenting non-core buildings was conducted. 3517 temporary houses were documented, of which 2858 - in Gyumri, 5 - in Artik, 654 - in 17 rural settlements.

The working group established in accordance with the same decree of the Prime Minister will assess the volume of obligations for resettlement of people living in the disaster zone after the Spitak earthquake in non-core buildings - improving housing conditions, and eliminating non-core housing structures from the territories, developing proposals for legalizing city-compliant documentation buildings, as well as the process of calculating the necessary funds to solve the problem.

The process will be completed by June 30 of this year. In the 104th settlement of the Gyumri bus station there are 164 houses.