Purchase of 45 Trolleybuses Instead of Ajapnyak Metro Does Not Solve City Decongestion Issues, Abgaryan Says

The purchase of 45 trolleybuses instead of the Ajapnyak metro does not solve the city's decongestion problems, said Isabella Abgaryan, a member of the Yerevan City Council from the National Progress party, in an interview with Aysor.am. This comment was made in response to the statement made by Mayor Tigran Avinyan during the city council meeting.

It was noted that Avinyan mentioned that the funds allocated for the Ajapnyak metro station have been directed towards the purchase of 45 trolleybuses: "These were funds intended for the development of the transport sector, part of which was allocated for the purchase of trolleybuses. The funds went in the same direction. By April-May next year, we will have 45 new 12-meter trolleybuses."

Abgaryan reminded the city authorities of the original purpose of constructing the metro: "Of course, such a decision is not comparable, considering the aim for which the metro station was intended — to relieve the city and address congestion issues. Their decision speaks for the exact opposite, because if the metro was indeed going to relieve the city, the trolleybuses will not relieve it but will actually have the opposite effect."

Moreover, according to Abgaryan, the metro and trolleybuses cannot be compared. "The metro is of strategic importance — not just a means of transport. That is, we witnessed the announcement of an ambitious project that they are incapable of implementing," she noted.

Regarding the financial expenditure of having 45 trolleybuses instead of a metro station, Abgaryan remarked that this statement is also laughable. "Of course, that announcement is quite ridiculous. The metro is indeed an expensive pleasure, and besides the main construction work, planning and oversight require quite substantial funds. They are incomparable."

When asked whether Yerevan residents should hope that this project will eventually come to fruition, the city council member responded that Mayor Avinyan had expressed hope in his remarks yesterday that the metro would become a reality next year.

“But that means, at least for the coming years, I wouldn’t put my hopes on it,” concluded Abgaryan.