During a meeting at the Mayor’s Office of Baku dedicated to socioeconomic development of suburban settlements of the capital, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan had issued instructions concerning landscaping and improvement work in villages and settlements. In order to examine progress in the implementation of the said instructions on the ground, the head of state has visited different settlements.
On 24 May, President Ilham Aliyev reviewed the work under way in the Shuvalan and Sabunchu suburban settlements of the capital.
First, the head of state arrived in the Shuvalan settlement of the Khazar district. Baku Mayor Hajibala Abutalibov informed the head of state of the creative work under way in the settlement using a map. It was indicated that in accordance with the instructions issued by President Ilham Aliyev at a meeting at the Mayor’s Office of Baku dedicated to socioeconomic development of suburban settlements of the capital, the implementation of creative and landscaping measures had begun in Shuvalan and other villages and settlements of Baku. Local roads are being rebuilt. Asphalt coating work has been carried out on an area of 30,000 square meters, pedestrian crossings and pavements have been reconstructed in the Shuvalan settlement. After examining the work under way, President Ilham Aliyev met with local residents.
Residents welcomed warmly the head of state:
President Ilham Aliyev greeted them by saying:
- How are you? How things are going on?
The work is going well also in Shuvelan district. Roads are being constructed. All infrastructure will be renovated. I am confident that all roads of Shuvelan will become excellent in a short period of time. As you know, the Program on development of Baku suburban areas is adopted. It is the very large program and special issues are envisaged for each district. These issues are pending for its resolution.
Thus, I think that all social and economic issues will find its resolution in Baku suburban districts in two and a half years. We are now pretty busy with the road construction in first phase. Relevant instructions were issued already. Funds are allocated, and it enables to construct excellent roads also in the district of Shuvelan. Besides that all other issues are being solved alike.
As you know, the program is made public through press. Each our fellow citizen can read what is in there. Concrete projects are envisaged for each district. All issues pending for Shuvelan district will be solved also.
In particular, issues related to roads and gas supplies should be solved in greater volumes. There should be a better work in gas supplies. Water and sewerage issues got to be solved. I know that this is the biggest matter of concern for people.
Thus, all other social issues should be solved alike. Kindergartens and schools will pass the refurbishment. So, we have to work hard to solve social and infrastructure issues in all suburban areas of Baku. Till present times, some work was done, including the operations related to refurbishment and reconstruction in the district of Shuvelan. New buildings and schools were built here. However, I think that pending issues should soon find its resolution. My request to you would be to supervise all this work and report about issues that lack.
While being last time in Mardakan, it was said during the meeting with residents that the school built just five years ago came to out of use. I got familiarized that school and noticed truly that there is a need for repair. It seems that those who built the school in the past had serious lapses in their duties. They did the work of inferior quality, and it is fortunate that I got notice about it. Otherwise, I would not know anything about that. I’d rather say that the school was built five years ago, and it is in good status. I mean there are also such cases. Therefore, it is a must to supervise the work done.
Public control and civil watch should be enforced to provide timely information about issues that lack.
Now, it is probable that you studied the issues envisaged in the program for the district of Shuvelan. If you have some extra wishes or requests, please tell it and we will take it into consideration because we have apparently involved all relevant governmental agencies to work in the elaboration of the program and tried to the maximum to incorporate all issues into the program.
There may be an issue that is pending and not set in the program. You tell me and we will also solve those issues. My intention is to solve quickly and appropriately all issues faced in all Baku suburban areas and do it with high quality.
RESIDENT: Our Azerbaijan becomes more attractive. Baku becomes more beautiful. We watch attentively the construction and reconstruction of schools and kindergartens. Particularly, it is our big delight to see the decree adopted to refurbish the villages around Baku. This is a double joy for Shuvelan residents because the larger part of residents in Shuvelan comes from the village of Gala. The refurbishment of Gala village and bringing back its historic greatness are an immense joy for us. It is therefore we wish good health to you and Mehriban khanum. The work that you do is a source of double joy for us, the believers. Why? Because, when we read the ayahs from the Koran, we see that Allah recalls to us: If you are created from the land, do the construction work on soil, and refurbish it. We see very clearly the words preached in this aya of the Koran in your deeds. I pray the Almighty Allah to bestow upon you his blessings, success and good health for all you do and the work done for the sake of prosperity of our nation. We applaud you on behalf of all residents of our district. Thank you very much!
President ILHAM ALIYEV: Thank you. We act in such a manner to solve all tasks standing in front of the country. We work seriously to solve both economic and social issues.
At the same time, a particular attention is paid also to the preservation of our historical past, our culture and the religious monuments. For the time being, all our religious monuments are being repaired and restored with special inspiration and big affection in the country. This is our moral support. We should try in such a manner to ensure the comprehensive development of our country. We build a modern state on the strongest national and historical foundations. Of course, all issues related to the culture are being solved successfully in Azerbaijan.
You brought the example of Gala village. Now, Gala has become a well recognized village nationwide because the ethnographic museum started its activities there and the refurbishment work done around is praiseful. Both country’s citizens and foreign guests come to see it and study openly the ancient history of Azerbaijan.
Additional instructions were issued in relation to the refurbishment of Gala village. Large buildings are under construction there, and nice resort zones are being created. I think that there will be a big influx of people wishing to stay there in the nearest future.
All this amount of work demonstrates once again the strength of our country and reflects our rich culture. We should act in such a manner to make Azerbaijan better known across the world. Today, all those who travel to Baku, other cities and regions confess that there is no other such place of development than your country. Today, Baku has become one of the most beautiful cities of the world. Both historical image of Baku is preserved, and the modernity is also definitely there. I can say that infrastructure, roads and bridges in Baku form the panorama that can add beauty to any world capital. I wish to see all districts to look alike.
We build our country to enable Azerbaijani citizens to live comfortably, and have all conditions for living and working.
Children should go to schools. Appropriate medical centers should be created. The roads should be excellent. All public utilities and sport facilities should meet the modern requirements.
In this district, the work was done also in the previous period of time. The stadium was built here. Afterwards, the Sport Compound was inaugurated in Shagan. The hospital number 26 in Mardakan will be refurbished fully, and it will start to extend services to all these districts. Other modern facilities and trade centers are being created in this place. You know that this region has a very rich history. The districts of Shuvelan and Mardakan and all surrounding districts have a great history. We should pay a particular attention to the development of these districts and citizens living her should get all necessary infrastructure possibilities. That makes my goal.
I say once again that the work done in last years has advanced our country. However, there is still a whole set of concerns. I wish to see the resolution of all main issues by the year of 2013 when the second State Program will be completed.
Obviously, the public policies and the state programs take a particular place in this respect. But, I can reiterate that it is a must to supervise the work done. There should be a public control and the supervision by population. Therefore, I ask you to apply and inform the Presidential Administration and the Executive Power Office about all lacking issues.
RESIDENT: I extend our welcome to you on behalf of our elderly people and intellectuals.
We watch in TV the work done in the regions. But, now we see the real prove of construction and refurbishment work done by you here. All that is needed for life – potable water, electricity, natural gas – are solved here. I would like to note in particular the sewerage issue. The construction of sewerage line will make waters in in-yard wells more pure.
I do not want to be long. You know that the majority of Gala residents – their 99% lives in Shuvelan. But, we still miss the village of Gala. If speaking openly, I refurbish gradually my land of forefathers. Speaking plainly, I am turning already 90. I would like to say I got the impression to live longer thanks to such attention and care you pay to Shuvelan.
Welcome once again. Be welcomed. May each your visit be happier.
President Ilham ALIYEV: Thank you. May Allah bestow a good health upon you.
RESIDENT: Dear President, I greet you also on behalf of Shuvelan women and extend my welcome.
We applaud the program elaborated on your instruction for Baku villages and its suburban areas.
As our great leader used to say, everything starts with the education. Today, all secondary schools, boarding schools in our district have practically passed the full refurbishment. Some of these schools were reconstructed here. Therefore, we express our great thanks to you and Mehriban khanum.
Today, a new large stadium was opened to arrange better the leisure time of the youth in Shuvelan district.
Our youth like this stadium very much. They go for sport here. A new football school was opened here. It will have a big hotel and a large sport compound. The recreation houses are being repaired fully.
Our Cultural Center was rebuilt in line with modern standards. It is very beautiful. Currently, it has clubs and study groups attended by our youngsters.
The gymnasium named after Makarenko is being fully refurbished. Kindergartens and our children are not left out of attention. The three-storied nice building of kindergarten is being constructed now for children. We are looking forward to its opening.
We have a nice park in Shuvelan. In the past, people from Shuvelan need to go to the city for resting in the park. Now, guests from the city come here. This park was also repaired properly on the basis of your decree. We are very grateful to you for all this work. I thank you cordially and wish you long life and good health jointly with your family.
President Ilham ALIYEV: You are absolutely right in saying that a lot of work was done both in social and cultural fields. We should do even greater things. Kindergartens are being constructed and repaired. We should act in such a manner to improve their level and the level of schools. It is true that people do come from Baku to Shuvelan to visit trade centers and resort zones.
A nice bridge is built now on the road leading from Baku to the district. Previously, a lot of vehicles used to stack in traffic jams. Now, we do not have a circle there. On the way from Baku to this place, there was the only circle of Mardakan. Now, we do have neither. No circle is left. A comfortable and nice bridge is under construction now. The bridge has the only goal: to enable people to come here easier.
You know that it is a very difficult task to build a bridge from the technical point of view. It requires also a big amount of money. Usually, bridges are mainly built in city centers. Now, new bridges are constructed in various places of the city. Indeed, it became possible to drive fast from the city to this place. It needed some one hour in the past. For the time being, if we would not have those bridges and take into account the increased number of vehicles, it could take even one hour and a half. The bridges constructed in the districts can be probably seen only in Azerbaijan. We do all this work to enable the comfortable movement of people. Next year, the road to Gala will probably be repaired fully. The road from airport highway to Gala village was enlarged in the past. However, now there is a need for full refurbishment. The said road will be repaired also as a nice highway. We have a plenty of plans and the human factor stands in the center of these plans because it forms the core meaning of our policy. Everything should be for the people and for the comfortable life. Each civil servant should be guided by this goal in public activities.
Х Х Х
After examining the work in the Shuvalan settlement, the head of state arrived in the Sabunchu settlement. During President Ilham Aliyev’s meeting with the local population on 27 April of this year, residents of the settlement had asked the head of state for help with the construction of a new road from Sabunchu to the Bakikhanov settlement and the Heydar Aliyev Avenue to facilitate travel in the direction of the airport. On the same day President Ilham Aliyev reviewed the area where the road from Sabunchu to the Bakikhanov settlement and the Heydar Aliyev Avenue in the direction of the airport was to be built, and issued relevant instructions regarding this issue.
The instructions of the head of state were fulfilled in a short time and with high quality. Baku Mayor Hajibala Abutalibov informed the President of the construction of a new road. It was indicated that the 1,000-meter new road had been coated with 12,000 square meters of asphalt and granite imported from a foreign country laid on 4,000 meters of pavements. A 500-meter rainwater pipe has been installed. Lighting poles, also brought from abroad, have been installed along the road. Twenty-five refugee families who used to live in the area where the road has been built have been provided with new apartments. The road bed has been elevated from 2 to 6 meters. The commissioning of the new road will enable unhindered travel from the Sabunchu settlement, which has a population of 40,000 people, to the Bakikhanov and Garachukhur settlements, the villages of Amirjan and Bulbula, as well as the Heydar Aliyev Avenue, and will significantly shorten the distance.
After reviewing the new road, the head of state met with local residents.
Residents of the Sabunchu settlement expressed their gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for commissioning a new high-quality road in a short period of time.
