New Road Will Shorten the Sisian-Kajaran Route

The government has approved the draft law on ratifying the agreement signed on March 18, 2025, between the Republic of Armenia and the Asian Development Bank regarding the provision of a loan for the program to improve the resilient and inclusive road segment.

As noted by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, David Khudatyan, the investment program for the new approximately 60 km road segment of the Sisian-Kajaran section (including the Bargushat tunnel) of the North-South road corridor, which is a priority for Armenia, is set to be implemented in three sub-phases: the Northern subsection, the Bargushat tunnel subsection, and the Southern subsection. The agreement pertains to the Northern subsection, with a total cost of €335 million, of which €236 million will be co-financed with the Asian Development Bank.

Within the framework of the agreement, a climate and disaster-resilient road with a length of approximately 27.1 km and asphalt pavement will be constructed, which will allow for the shortening of the Sisian-Kajaran road segment length. As a result, the duration of traffic will be reduced, the average speed of vehicles currently at 50 km/h (expected to reach about 100 km/h) will increase, and the comfort and safety of traffic will improve. The construction of this road segment will contribute to increased cargo turnover, reduced transport costs, enhanced transit transport involvement, and the development of tourism. Ultimately, the travel time for this road segment will be shortened by 1.5 to 2 hours. The program is expected to be completed by November 2033.

Regarding the decision, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that in the past month, he has visited Meghri and Talin and has a feeling that the North-South road is progressing at a very rapid pace. “I have the sense that our plans regarding the North-South are becoming at least 70-80% tangible, and we already have a chance to enter the phase of serious and final implementation,” he stated.

In response, Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachaturyan emphasized that if they can attract a contractor through a competition by the end of this year, the construction work of the tunnel and the road section after Kajaran will also be completed within the 7-year timeframe allocated for them.