Yerevan/Mediamax/. The works for the construction of Sotk-Karvachar strategic highway began over a month ago. It will become the second largest road linking Armenia and Artsakh.

The highway, which is in a very bad state, is currently exploited and is the shortest and the most convenient way to Martakert and Shahumyan regions. The situation worsens in rainy and snowy weather when the highway is closed.

The highway has not only a political but also an economic significance for Nagorno Karabakh, as it’s the most convenient way for cargo transportations, especially taking into consideration the fact that a number of perspective mining programs (gold and copper mines near Drmbon settlement and a coal mine in Magavuz) have been recently realized in Artsakh.

Sotk-Karvachar highway will pass near the railroad which will create favorable conditions for exporter companies.

Why did the construction of the highway begin now and so unexpectedly? Various political comments are voiced in this regard. NKR Minister of Urban Development Karen Shahramanyan links the project mainly to programs for the development of Martakert and Shahumyan regions.

The 45-km long section of the highway from Sotk pass to Karvachar crossroad is built with the joint efforts of the Armenian Energy Ministry and the NKR government.

The 13- km long section of the highway is an absolutely new road which allows shortening the length of the whole highway.

When asked about the cost of the program, Karen Shahramanyan told Mediamax that the program is carried out on the basis of monthly reports of relevant Armenian bodies after positive conclusions of the technical control. Karen Shahramanyan said he didn’t have information about the cost of the project. According to him, AMD 150mln has already been allocated and the works continue.

The construction of Sotk-Karvachar highway is planned to be over by late February 2013.