Who and When Will Build the New "Ajapnyak" Metro Station?

The new "Ajapnyak" metro station of Yerevan's metro has been awarded to the winner of the design competition, the Russian company "MetroGiproTrans." The Mayor of Yerevan, Hayk Marutyan, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of "MetroGiproTrans," Valery Abramson, have discussed the issues of design work and the prospective development of the metro.

The city administration reports that the development of the metro holds an important place in urban transport reforms, and the Yerevan municipality is taking clear steps towards the construction of the new station. "The overall transport reforms, which are very important for Yerevan, consist of several parts and, of course, various phases. We are currently actively engaging with surface transport, that is, the replenishment and ongoing operation of buses while simultaneously dealing with underground transport, which is the metro. Significant work has been done by the Yerevan municipality, gathering all specialists knowledgeable about the metro operations who are currently in Armenia, enabling us to conduct this design competition. The preparatory work for the competition lasted almost a year and a half. At this point, we have reached the final stage; the competition has been completed, and a contract has already been signed with the winner," the mayor noted.

Valery Abramson, during the meeting, presented the preliminary design options for the Ajapnyak station to the mayor. "I think the metro makes many decisions regarding the city's development standpoint, and when the metro is designed prior to the main construction, it signifies that the city is alive, and the connections among people expand as they can travel from one part of the city to another. We must start somewhere, and the fact that we won the design competition for the new metro station's small section is also a good start and means we need to move forward. It is remarkable that the city authorities are considering strategic solutions for the efficient development of new buildings and transport infrastructures, even with limited capabilities," said the Chairman of the Board of Directors of "MetroGiproTrans."

Incidentally, "MetroGiproTrans" has proposed a metro development project worth $500 million to the Armenian government. The Russian agency for Export Credit Insurance is ready to support the program under advantageous conditions. "With this funding, we will probably be able to renovate the old metro infrastructures and also plan the areas of the city to where the stations can expand," Abramson stated.

"This project needs to be funded within six months for the work to commence. I want to inform you that the metro is state property; it is not municipal property, so the funding must come from the state budget, not the community budget. We all know that there are significant problems in the republic today, and I hope these issues are surmountable so that funds can also be found for the metro," Hayk Marutyan added.

The preliminary design proposes to construct a bridge over the Hrazdan River solely for the metro, while "MetroGiproTrans" is also suggesting a second level for vehicles or pedestrians. During the discussion, both parties noted that it would be preferable to favor the construction of an underground station rather than an above-ground one, as underground stations are much more convenient for metro users and provide opportunities for developing various infrastructures.

At the end of the meeting, Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan handed over the signed contract for the design of the metro "Ajapnyak" station section to Valery Abramson, Chairman of the Board of Directors of "MetroGiproTrans."