VIDEO: The Areas of Demolished Illegal Gas Stations Are Being Renovated

All gas stations operating in Yerevan without permission and grossly violating urban planning and safety norms are being demolished. Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan previously addressed this issue, emphasizing that the safety of citizens is a priority. This was reported by the Yerevan City Hall.

The process was initiated by the Yerevan City Hall in collaboration with the Ministry of Urban Development, Technical Supervision, and Fire Safety. “Currently, we have already demolished 23 gas stations. The last six have been successfully dismantled with the cooperation of the operators, using their own resources,” said Hovik Safaryan, head of the Trade and Services Department of Yerevan City Hall.

The majority of illegal gas stations were built on community land, next to sidewalks and residential buildings, despite clear standards regarding the required distance that must be maintained. “There are three main priority criteria: gas stations must be located at a distance of 25-50 meters from residential buildings, gasoline storage tanks must be underground, and safety islands should be placed at a distance of 1.5 meters from sidewalks,” noted Elena Zohrebeyan, head of the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Urban Development, Technical Supervision, and Fire Safety.

After the demolition, the areas are mandated to be renovated, landscaped, and returned to the city's residents. Following the demolition of three adjacent gas stations on Abelyan Street, the sidewalk has been freed up, and a bus stop has been installed. “The inventory is ongoing, and there are about 15 gas stations that must be demolished,” says Hovik Safaryan. The process will be continuous. No illegally constructed gas station that does not conform to urban planning norms should remain in the city.