Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of a bridge over the Hamamchay river on the Ilisu-Saribash road in Gakh

As part of a visit to Gakh District, President Ilham Aliyev has attended the opening of an arched metal bridge over the Hamamchay river on the Ilisu-Saribash road.

The head of state reviewed the master plan for the protection of Gakh and the Alibayli village from mudslides.

The chairman of the Irrigation and Water Management Open Joint-Stock Company, Ahmad Ahmadov, informed President Ilham Aliyev that a 1,622-meter reinforced concrete dam was built in 2009-2011 in order to protect Gakh from flooding rivers. Work is currently under way at a distance of 186 meters. Another 670-meter reinforced concrete dam has been built to protect the Alibayli village of Gakh District from mudslides.

The head of state also reviewed a working draft on the protection of the Ilisu village from floods. The project aims to protect Ilisu, located on the left banks of the Kurmukchay and Hamamchay rivers from mudslides and high water, prevent the potential risks from the right and left slopes of the riverbanks and geological subsidence. Work has been completed on a 1,335-meter stretch of the 3,470-meter reinforced concrete walls to be built on the Kurmukchay and Hamamchay rivers. Also completed is half of the design work on a 410-meter drainage site in Ilisu. One of the project components is a new bridge over the Hamamchay. This important facility is ready for operation.

The head of state cut the ribbon symbolizing the opening of the bridge.

It was indicated that the construction of the bridge at the foot of the Gala complex, which is attributed to the 17-18th centuries, was launched in August 2009. The bridge, constructed in accordance with the traditions of national architecture, provides a convenient and unimpeded movement of vehicles and pedestrians to the Saribash village of Gakh District and is noted for its nice appearance and reliability. The metal spans of the bridge have an arched structure, the roadway is constructed of rifled arms joined together by metal beams. On both sides of the facility there are pedestrian crossings. High-quality building materials were used in the construction. Together with access roads the facility is 110 meters is length, while the bridge unit proper is 56 meters long and 6.8 meters wide. In order to strengthen the slopes, a 110-meter supporting wall has been built. Besides, to ensure safety, a metal fence has been constructed on access roads. This magnificent facility creates the necessary conditions for the safety of traffic and is a unique piece of architecture noted for original design and exceptional beauty.

It was mentioned that all these projects are implemented by local companies only. The projects prepared by experienced Azerbaijani professionals for the Irrigation and Water Management OJSC are executed by the Azerkorpu JSC. The bridge shortens the roads that link many settlements of the district and serves as further evidence of the attention the President is paying to improving the transport infrastructure and the socioeconomic development of districts.

President Aliyev congratulated those attending the ceremony on the opening of the bridge.