President Ilham Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of the newly renovated 8-14 km long stretches and newly built 4-8 km parts of the Baku-Alat highway.

The builders and transport workers welcomed the President warmly.

Minister of Transport Ziya Mammadov informed the President that, as per the implementation of “Plan of Additional Measures to improve the transport system in Baku in 2008-2013”, issued by decree of the president on 8 July 2008, “the reconstruction of Baku-Alat highway by transferring the road stretch on 4-8 kilometers between Bibiheybet mosque and Bayil Bazaar” and “the reconstruction of the circular Bibiheybet-Lokbatan section of Baku-Alat highway” projects have been completed. 

The project implementation process started in May of 2009.

The first 3.5-km section of the road has five lanes while the second, 5-7-km section is an eight-lane highway.

Utilization of this highway will allow for problem-free one-way access to the capital of transportation means travelling from the southern, south-western, western, central Aran and north-western regions, as well as from border districts located in Astara, Bilasuvar, Qazakh, and Balakan regions.

President Ilham Aliyev congratulated road builders by saying:

- I congratulate you. You have done a great job and constructed an excellent road for our city. This is a project, which requires high professionalism because the larger part of road was done at the expense of mountain grading operations. This is not a simple road construction. Great works have been carried out in here. There are protection walls, which envisaged mountain grading and expanding of road. Now, this is one of the best roads for city residents and visiting guests. This road connects us with frontiers. It differs with its quality, excellence and lighting systems. It meets world standards. At the same time, a new road is also constructed here. That road did not exist before. It is also a one sided, large and comfortable road of 6 lanes.

We already have a great experience. Our companies accumulated rich experience in such work. I am very pleased that recently, only Azerbaijani companies participate in road constructions. It demonstrates that it is already possible in our country to carry out construction of high quality roads in line with the most progressive technologies. During previous years, we have been mainly dependant on foreign specialists. We used to invite them here. They have been constructing roads for us. Now, we do it on our own. This means that our people and specialists are working, new jobs are being created, and income remains in Azerbaijan and does not flow abroad.

During recent years, many roads have been constructed. This process will continue. Today, we will celebrate the opening of Ring Road. This is also a historic event. This is a new road bypassing Baku city and leading northwards as well as south and westwards. We will celebrate the opening of a comfortable and quality road.

I congratulate you once again on this nice event.

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Given the importance of this road for the transport artery of the capital and the overall country, the President later gave his instructions and recommendations regarding its effective use.