A meeting focused on transportation issues took place on January 28.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev delivered remarks at the meeting.

Remarks by President Ilham Aliyev

At today's meeting, we will discuss the development of transport infrastructure in Baku and its suburban areas, an issue of growing importance. While significant progress has been made in recent years, with major infrastructure projects completed, traffic congestion in Baku remains a persistent problem. Unfortunately, the frequency and severity of traffic jams continue to increase year after year.

There are understandable reasons for this. The population of our country, including Baku, has been steadily growing. Over the past 30 years, Azerbaijan's population has risen from 7 million to over 10 million. Naturally, the city's road infrastructure, including the metro system, has struggled to keep pace with this rapid growth.

We have always prioritized transport issues, implementing numerous large-scale projects in Baku over the past 15 years. New metro stations have been opened, road junctions, tunnels, and bridges have been constructed, and new roads have been laid. Without these efforts, transportation in Baku would likely be completely paralyzed today.

However, we recognize the need for further action and see significant value in adopting another major program. To this end, I instructed the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport some time ago to develop a state program. Work on this program has been ongoing for several months, and today we will review these efforts and make the necessary decisions.

Regarding transport issues, I must highlight that numerous transport projects have been implemented across the country in recent years, including rural roads, intercity roads, and highways. As time passes, it is easy to forget the conditions we faced in the past. However, looking back 20 years, we can recall the state of our roads at that time. Even Baku's main roads barely met basic standards.

Since then, we have constructed new roads, connecting nearly all cities with modern infrastructure and linking all our borders with highways. The repair and construction of rural roads have progressed significantly, with completion rates reaching approximately 85–90 percent. Each year, we continue to allocate funds to further these efforts.

Azerbaijan's geographical location places it at the crossroads of international transport corridors, and we have successfully leveraged this strategic position. However, geographical location alone is not enough for a country to become a transport hub. It requires consistent effort and strategic planning. We have actively promoted the passage of international transport corridors through Azerbaijan, taken initiatives to support this goal, and undertaken practical steps to make it a reality.

Today, it is impossible to envision the transport map of Eurasia without Azerbaijan and its transport infrastructure. The East-West and North-South transport corridors currently pass through our territory, with the volume of cargo transported along these routes increasing year by year.

Beyond physical infrastructure, we have taken additional steps to enhance the efficiency of cargo transportation, including a focus on digitalization. New formats of cooperation with neighboring countries have been established, along with the creation of joint ventures and companies. In summary, Azerbaijan has become one of the indispensable transport hubs of Eurasia.

It is worth noting that countries typically recognized as transport hubs are those with access to open seas. Although Azerbaijan does not have access to the world’s oceans, we have successfully transformed our country into an indispensable transport center through the work we have undertaken.

This progress continues, with additional measures now being implemented along both the North-South and East-West transport corridors. The volume of cargo previously projected indicates that these corridors will handle significantly larger volumes in the future. This increase is driven by various factors, and in response, we are attracting additional investments to expand the carrying capacity of these corridors.

Among the new projects, I would like to highlight the Zangezur corridor. This project was initiated by Azerbaijan and gained prominence after our victory in the Second Karabakh War. Following this, the issue was brought to the international agenda and became a recognized term in global discourse. Today, the Zangezur corridor is widely acknowledged as a significant initiative.

Naturally, we are taking practical steps to ensure the opening of this corridor. However, the Armenian side has maintained an unconstructive stance on this matter for more than four years, failing to fulfill the obligations it agreed to in the November 10 capitulation. The agreement explicitly stated that there should be a transport connection between mainland Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, which is an integral part of our country.

Instead of adhering to these commitments, Armenia has resorted to making excuses, proposing unrealistic and baseless alternatives, and attempting to mislead the international community through manipulative tactics.

You have probably heard that they have come up with the so-called “Peace Crossroads” project, and now there is not a single country in the world they have not shared this project with. However, this so-called project is not worth two cents without Azerbaijan, and we have repeatedly conveyed this to the Armenian side through various channels. If you truly want to implement this project, first of all, you should approach Azerbaijan. Because without us, it is just a piece of paper, and our terms are fair, grounded in international law and the obligations Armenia itself has undertaken. I would once again advise the Armenian leadership to carefully read the November 10 capitulation act and pay special attention to the paragraph I mentioned. I repeat that their so-called project is completely irrelevant without Azerbaijan. They are simply stalling for time and trying to confuse the international community. Once again, they have given rise to dirty campaigns against Azerbaijan in various circles. As a result, to this day, we do not have the shortest and most convenient connection with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, an integral part of Azerbaijan.

Indeed, we are addressing the needs of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through various means. Primarily, cargo and passengers travel through the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran. We also have other options available, but they are less economically viable and involve longer routes.

In principle, this connection could also be established through the territories of Georgia and Türkiye. However, if there is a more convenient and feasible route, that would naturally be our priority. Unfortunately, given the insincerity of the Armenian side, we have reached a corresponding agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and a project is currently underway to construct a road bridge bypassing Armenia. This project is expected to be completed later this year.

A second bridge will also be constructed, this time in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, while the first bridge is under construction in the Zangilan district. As a result, Armenia will remain a dead-end country, and their aspirations of becoming a transit state will never come to fruition. They will be the ones who lose, not us.

This issue will continue to be a focal point, both on the international stage and in our bilateral contacts with Armenia. We consistently emphasize one key point: there must be unhindered passage from Azerbaijan to Azerbaijan. There must be smooth and unrestricted travel between the mainland of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, without inspections or obstacles. This is our demand.

It is important to remember that in November 1920, Soviet authorities unjustly took West Zangezur from us, committing a grave injustice against the Azerbaijani people. That was not the first nor the last such crime.

Secondly, following the sequence of events, another grave injustice was the creation of the so-called “Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region” on Azerbaijani territory. Prior to that, Tsarist Russia committed another wrong by resettling Armenians in Azerbaijan’s territory. Even before that, the murder of the Karabakh Khan, who was guaranteed leadership over Karabakh, was a significant injustice.

Other crimes of the 20th century are also well-known, including the Khojaly Genocide, the January 20th Tragedy, and the occupation of our lands in the early 1990s. The Azerbaijani people have not forgotten these events, and we will never forget Zangezur.

I want to emphasize once again that we have no territorial claims against Armenia. However, Armenia must fulfill its obligations and ensure unhindered passage from Azerbaijan to Azerbaijan.

Before turning to the issue of Baku's transport infrastructure I would like to highlight some key achievements in Azerbaijan’s transport sector over the past 20 years. Specifically, in the last two decades, 21,000 kilometers of highways have been built and repaired across the country. Additionally, 335 bridges and overpasses, 45 tunnels, and 163 overhead and underground passages have been constructed.

I want to emphasize once again - if we had not undertaken this work, it’s not hard to imagine the state our country’s transport infrastructure would be in today.

Regarding railway infrastructure, significant progress has been made. Over 1,500 kilometers of railways have been built, and 1,800 kilometers have been repaired. New trains and wagons have been acquired, and the Absheron circular line, spanning more than 90 kilometers, has been put into operation. Additionally, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway has been constructed.

It is important to note that this project was initiated by the Azerbaijani state. When we first proposed it, we encountered considerable resistance. I can now openly state that the United States opposed the project, primarily due to its pro-Armenian stance. The belief was that this project would exclude Armenia, which led to significant pressure on the Georgian leadership at the time to prevent Georgia from agreeing to it. Despite this, we engaged in negotiations with the Georgian side for several years, and ultimately, we succeeded in reaching an agreement.

In particular, I personally raised this issue multiple times with high-ranking representatives of the United States, emphasizing that they should not stand in our way. This is a strategic project for Azerbaijan, and other countries, including their own allies, will also benefit from it in the future. History has proven that we were right, as always. Today, America's allies in Europe are highly interested in the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway. They are also keenly focused on the transportation of cargo from Central Asia to Europe and vice versa, passing through Azerbaijan. Without the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, none of this would have been possible.

Not only did we successfully construct the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway by reaching an agreement with Türkiye and Georgia, but we also provided the Georgian government with a loan of approximately one billion dollars at a very low interest rate at that time. In fact, much of the work in Georgia was carried out with the help of these funds.

The railway on Azerbaijani territory has been modernized, and Türkiye also constructed a section on its side. As a result, a new route was opened, which today facilitates the transportation of cargo from various countries to the White Sea, Europe, and Türkiye. However, we soon realized that the carrying capacity of this road was not sufficient. Last year, Azerbaijan funded the expansion of this route, increasing its capacity to 5 million tons.

In my view, this is one of the most significant projects in our region in recent years, and many countries will continue to benefit from it. At one point, officials from the U.S. Department of State opposed us - I don’t know where they are now, nor do their names appear in history - but we succeeded by demonstrating strong determination.

I would also like to highlight the Sumgayit-Yalama railway as part of our efforts to rehabilitate and modernize existing roads, as well as to increase transportation capacity and train speeds. The construction of this railway is already 80% complete and is expected to be fully operational in the near future.

Additionally, we are working on the Alat-Astara Road. While this road already exists, due to the anticipated sharp increase in cargo volume on the North-South corridor, expanding this road is now a priority. Some funding has already been allocated for this expansion project this year.

Several new train routes have been introduced to enhance connectivity between Azerbaijani cities. For example, the Baku-Gabala railway line, which had never reached the city of Gabala before, has now been constructed. This line is crucial for the region. Additionally, the Baku-Balakan and Baku-Aghstafa railways have resumed operation.

As a result, those familiar with Azerbaijan’s geography can see how these railways connect our country to the western and northwestern borders, as well as to the city of Gabala. Naturally, the cities along these lines are also well-served by these connections.

Over the past 20 years, eight international airports have been built in Azerbaijan. Four of these airports existed but were in unsatisfactory condition. The airports in Baku, Nakhchivan, Ganja, and Lankaran have all been reconstructed. While the Lankaran airport was rarely used, the Baku, Nakhchivan, and Ganja airports were in operation. Today, the runways and terminal complexes of all four airports meet the most modern standards.

Additionally, four new airports have been built: in Gabala, Zagatala, Fuzuli, and Zangilan. The ninth international airport, in Lachin, will be put into operation this year. All these airports are equipped to handle cargo and passenger aircraft of any weight, with runways of at least three kilometers in length.

As I mentioned earlier, the ninth airport will open this year, and we will have fully addressed this issue.

I would also like to highlight that Heydar Aliyev International Airport set a new record for passenger traffic last year, with over seven million passengers. According to the information I’ve received, the analysis conducted by the ministry indicates that this number will continue to rise. It has been proposed to build a new terminal complex at Heydar Aliyev International Airport, and I fully support this idea. The project and feasibility study for the new terminal are already underway. Once completed, this expansion will allow us to accommodate a greater number of passengers in the future.

In this way, we will further solidify our position as an international air transport hub. Additionally, a large cargo terminal is currently under construction in Alat, with a cargo reception capacity of 1 million tons.

As you can see, the work we are doing in the transportation sector is progressing steadily and effectively.

One of the key projects in recent years has been the construction of a new Trade Seaport. We relocated the old port from the city center, and now, landscaping work will be carried out in that area. Recreation areas and various facilities will be built, transforming the space into a valuable asset for the city. This development will not only contribute to the overall progress of our city but will also provide benefits to our people.

A master plan for this area, which is adjacent to the White City Boulevard, is currently underway.

The cargo handling capacity of the first phase of the new Trade Seaport was initially planned for 15 million tons. However, it is already clear that the volume of cargo will be much larger. An order has been issued, and work will begin this year. International consultants have been engaged to develop a new project. We need to expand the port’s capacity to 25 million tons, and even that may not be enough. The cargo volume on the East-West transport corridor is growing so rapidly that we must adapt accordingly.

To streamline and focus all these transportation issues in one center, a new entity – AZCON - was recently established by my decision. AZCON will oversee coordination and future development plans, including investment strategies.

Since 2008, seven new metro stations have been built, and the State Program to be adopted outlines the construction of 10 additional stations. A total of 266 new-generation metro cars have been purchased, and this process is ongoing. Hundreds of new passenger buses have also been brought into service, and the assembly of electric buses will begin at the end of this year, with plans for increased localization.

A total of 161 new electric buses have already been delivered in Baku, and in the near future, residents will begin to see the benefits of this transition. Given that vehicles, particularly large ones, are among the leading contributors to air pollution, we are addressing these concerns while keeping the public’s interests in mind.

The shipyard was built in recent years, around 10 to 12 years ago. Prior to that, we used to purchase ships from abroad, but I decided that a shipyard must be established in Baku. As time has shown, this decision was the right one. Today, it is impossible to buy ships from the traditional sources we once relied on. We have now reached a point where the shipyard is operating at full capacity. Currently, six ships of various sizes are under construction there.

In parallel, we have elevated our activities in the Black Sea to a new level. Whereas previously, only small-sized ships from the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company operated in that area, we have now purchased four large Aframax-type tankers, each with a carrying capacity of 100,000 tons. This not only benefits us but also significantly enhances the capabilities of our country.

Transport projects are the backbone of the work carried out in the liberated territories. To date, about 3,400 kilometers of highways have been built, with 44 highway projects either completed or still underway. In addition, 45 tunnels, 447 bridges, and 16 viaducts are planned. Of these, 28 tunnels, 392 bridges, and 9 viaducts have already been completed.

Approximately 60 percent of the Horadiz-Aghband railway has been completed, and 94 percent of the Barda-Aghdam railway has been constructed. These are just a few of the major projects I want to highlight, and the numbers speak for themselves. They demonstrate the extent to which we have successfully implemented transport projects. Without these developments, the connections between Baku, other cities, and across the country could have completely paralyzed our transport system.

But let me reiterate that life moves forward. We are now set to adopt a new state program. All transport projects across the country, including in the liberated territories, will continue to be implemented as planned. The necessary funds for these purposes have already been allocated in this year's Investment Program.

As for the city of Baku and the surrounding areas, I emphasize once again that the adoption of this new state program is essential. It will be a comprehensive program with substantial financial backing. It will require the joint efforts and efficient cooperation of all relevant agencies. This is precisely why I have called today’s meeting - to discuss these issues, to present the plans, and to ensure that the public understands what is expected and what work will be carried out in the upcoming years.

At the same time, representatives of the public are encouraged to provide their recommendations to the relevant state bodies - the Presidential Administration, the Cabinet of Ministers, and the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport. There may be aspects that we have not yet included in the program, so suggestions at the grassroots level will be considered.

Now, the floor is given to the Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabiyev, for the report.

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Addressing the meeting, Minister Rashad Nabiyev said:

- Dear Mr. President, dear participants of the meeting.

First of all, Mr. President, I would like to express my deep gratitude to you for your continuous attention to the provision of high-quality transport services for our citizens. Under your leadership, fundamental reforms have been carried out in the transport sector over the past 20 years, the infrastructure has been rebuilt, and the sector has made a significant contribution to the rapid development of the country's economy. The rapid growth of the country's economy and the increase in the well-being of the population have led to a sharp increase in motorization. In accordance with your instructions to improve passenger transportation, reduce traffic jams on the roads, alleviate the environmental situation of the city and increase the efficiency of state investments, a project on the “Transformation of Baku City Mobility” has been launched. The coordination of the project is carried out by the Transport Coordination Council established by your relevant decree. The successes achieved in improving the city transport system over the past year and a half have been possible thanks to the constructive cooperation of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Baku City Executive Authority, the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture, and the State Agency of Azerbaijan Automobile Roads, all represented in the Council.

Dear Mr. President, as is the case in all major cities of the world, Baku's transport system is facing many challenges against the backdrop of economic and demographic growth. In response to these challenges, cities around the world are transitioning from a “car-centric city” model to a “people-centric” approach. Of course, this transition does not depend only on state regulation. Here, a change in the transport behavior of city residents is also important. Changing behavior that has long been focused on other modes of transport and become a habit takes time. However, proactive management of supply and demand in the city's transport system can shorten this time. For this, on the one hand, sufficient supply of the transport system must be ensured. In other words, the street and road infrastructure must be fully organized, the number of buses must be sufficient, and the railway and metro infrastructure must be expanded. On the other hand, determining parking tariffs through state regulation, imposing fines for non-compliance with bus lanes, and other requirements aimed at managing demand lead to the adoption of new transport habits. For example, the lack of appropriate infrastructure for micro-mobility, i.e. scooters and bicycles, leads to the perception of micro-mobility as a dangerous means of transport and the lack of this habit. However, studies have shown that only 1 out of 9 million trips made by bicycle results in a fatality.

Although more detailed information will be provided in the presentation, with your permission, I would like to bring to your attention a few figures related to the progress achieved within the framework of the transformation of mobility. A total of 112 kilometers of bus lanes have been built to increase the frequency of passenger transportation by bus, ensure speed of movement and improve the quality of service. As a result of your support for the legislative initiative on the regulation of traffic on the roads, compliance with the bus lane requirement and a reduction in illegal parking have been ensured. At the same time, the number of buses operating on daily routes has increased from 1,750 to 2,160. As a logical result of these reforms, public confidence in buses has increased, and transportation in Baku and its suburbs has risen by 41 million, or 9 percent, compared to the period before the reforms.

Similar reforms have been implemented in the taxi service. Before the reforms, there was legitimate public dissatisfaction with the quality of service and safety. As a result of the reforms, the number of taxis was reduced from 67,000 to 30,000 and the average age of taxis from 15 to 8. Most importantly, the number of short-distance trips that create congestion towards the city center has decreased sharply, by about 32 percent. Another important step taken to transition car-oriented cities to people-oriented cities is the creation of parks and green corridors. The territory of Khagani Park has been expanded by side roads, a park-concept hub has been created around the “28 May” metro station. Access to Icherisheher and Aziz Aliyev Street has been restricted.

Dear Mr. President, in order for the results of the transformation of urban mobility to be long-term, it is important to demonstrate a systematic and comprehensive approach to the challenges facing us. In this respect, the digital twin created within the project is of particular importance, as it allows us to predict the effectiveness of initiatives in advance. It also allows us the opportunity to measure the efficiency of state investment in road and transport infrastructure and prioritize planned projects. However, in addition to the progress achieved, it is necessary to expand the metro and railway infrastructure that can provide public transportation in order to increase the share of public transport to 60 percent. I would like to note that the work to be done in this direction is aligned with the Master Plan of Baku. This will also be implemented in accordance with another task you have given – the development of the city and the polycentric approach. The unification of state enterprises that provide passenger transportation services under AZCON, established by your progressive order, will serve to create a high-quality and balanced passenger transportation experience.

In conclusion, I would like to assure you that we will implement your instructions aimed at improving the living standards and transport opportunities of our citizens in a coordinated manner with all relevant institutions. Thank you for your attention.

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President Ilham Aliyev: Now, the floor is given to the Chairman of the Board of the Land Transport Agency, Anar Rzayev.

Addressing the meeting, Anar Rzayev, Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Land Transport Agency, said:

- Dear Mr. President, the rapid socioeconomic development in the country has resulted in an increase in the income of the population. In parallel with this, dynamic demographic growth has also taken place, especially in Baku and its suburban areas. As is the case in all large cities, as a result of the increase in the income of the population and rapid motorization, the use of cars, especially in the city center, has increased. As a result of these factors, as well as the transformation of Baku into a mono-centric city, the presence of some bottlenecks in the street and road infrastructure has led to traffic congestion and jams in the city. On your instructions, a special program has been developed to carry out work in this direction by inviting a foreign consulting company.

Dear Mr. President, it is clear that your policy is centered around citizens of Azerbaijan, the satisfaction of the desires and needs of the citizens of Azerbaijan. Therefore, the program is fully focused on the citizens of Azerbaijan. Thus, the program has set three main goals. These are the creation of faster, safer, and more environment-friendly mobility opportunities. Sub-goals have also been defined to achieve these goals. These are ensuring the transition to the urban concept for residents. Here we are talking about expanding the use of public transport, creating additional and new mobility opportunities, expanding pedestrian movement, as well as micro-mobility. At the same time, it is planned to completely digitize passenger experience and implement some systemic changes. These are the creation of less traffic jams, faster access to attraction centers, and, at the same time, the creation of a safer and more environment-friendly mobility atmosphere. We believe that as a result of the implementation of the program, additional positive socioeconomic effects will be brought about. All these factors together will ensure that Baku city enters the highest rating in international ratings, the rating of the best cities.

I would like to note that during the preparation of the program, as well as during its application, a digital twin of the city was created by inviting an international consulting company to make data-based decisions. Billions of data were used to create the digital twin. Bus data, metro data, and even more than 6 billion data points from mobile operators were used. The digital twin allows for the assessment of both urban flows and the impact of infrastructure on these flows, as well as the effectiveness of new infrastructure projects, and each of the decisions made after that was previously simulated in the digital twin and presented accordingly.

The first figures taken into the digital twin were the number of all trips in Baku. Here it became clear that more than 2 billion trips are made in Baku per year, and when we looked at the structure of these trips, we saw that the share of public transport was 30 percent, whereas the share of private transport and taxis was 50 percent. International experience requires the exact opposite. In international practice, the share of public transport is required to be at least 39-40 percent, whereas the share of private vehicles to be around 30 percent in order to create a smooth mobility environment. Simple calculations have shown that it is necessary to transfer 300 million trips to public transport on an annual basis in order to create the smooth mobility environment we have mentioned, and measures have been taken in this direction. I would also like to note one important point: when the calculations were started, the trend of the situation was getting worse. That is, there was a trend of decreasing the share of public transport in the city and increasing the share of private vehicles.

Thanks to the measures taken recently, some positive results have been achieved. I would like to bring them to your attention. Thus, 41 million additional passengers were transported by buses in 2023-2024, compared to 28 million in 2024, and more than 11 million additional passengers by rail and metro. There was a 32 percent decrease in taxi transportation. At the same time, more than 700,000 trips were made in the micro-mobility network and micro-mobility service created in the last months of 2024. This is an indicator of a change in the trend of the measures and their development in the desired direction.

Work has been done in several directions to achieve these initial results. These, of course, are primarily related to buses. Over the past two years, the number of buses in the city has increased by 440 units, or 25 percent. Currently, this has reached a record level of 2,160. At the same time, I would like to note that this is not the limit and we plan to increase the number of buses to 2,800.

A network of special lanes has been developed in the city, which has allowed the population to increase confidence in buses. Thanks to this, both the speed of buses and the quality of the services provided have increased. An increase in the average speed of buses within the city has been observed from 18 kilometers to 22 kilometers. On some streets with high traffic density – I can give an example of this on Ataturk Avenue – the speed has decreased by 12 minutes, that is, the transition has dropped by 12 minutes. This has created a serious incentive for citizens to switch to public transport.

As mentioned, projects have also been implemented to encourage pedestrian travel. These are primarily projects implemented in Khagani Park and in front of the “28 May” metro station, where car access to both areas was restricted and these places were made available to pedestrians. On your instructions, a pedestrian zone, as well as a car hub, was created in Khagani Park and in front of the “28 May” metro station. The last project was to restrict car traffic in front of the Goshagala Gate, Aziz Aliyev Street and within the Old City, which resulted in the creation of a huge pedestrian zone in Baku. Work in this direction will be continued. Projects are being prepared and will be submitted after completion.

Sidewalk infrastructure is a fairly important element for encouraging pedestrian traffic. Therefore, we have also analyzed the sidewalk infrastructure in Baku. In some places, it was determined that sidewalk infrastructure is a fairly narrow. At the same time, it was noted that pedestrian crossings are poorly lit. In this direction, a new approach aligned with international norms and a process management approach have been developed. This year, a pilot project fully in line with international standards is to be implemented so that these approaches can be expanded later.

As I mentioned, micro-mobility lanes have been created in Baku for the first time. Currently, there are 35 kilometers of coordinated micro-mobility lanes in Baku. A bicycle rental service has also been introduced to citizens. Currently, 200,000 trips are made by bicycles and scooters in Baku per month. This is a fairly positive indicator. However, at the first stage, there was also a considerable lack of confidence in the use of bicycles and scooters. But the dynamic growth shows that their use by citizens will increase. At the end of the program, the number of these trips per month is to be increased to 2.5 million.

Another problem area in Baku was related to parking. Illegal parking was quite widespread. It was also quite cheap. Therefore, this created a gravity in the city center, drivers were eager to enter the city center. Parking reforms were carried out, a paid parking system was introduced and completely digitalized. Now payments are made completely transparently through a mobile application. Regular parking has already been established in the city. I would also like to note that it is now possible to find a parking space in the city center even on the busiest days of the week. Because while previously one car occupied a parking space for 10 hours, now 10 cars can use a parking space for one hour.

The reforms in the taxi service are also aimed at reducing the movement of private vehicles in the city center. There was a lot of dissatisfaction from citizens in this direction, about the service itself, drivers and cars. During the reforms, 35,000 drivers were involved in training and exams were held with each of them. A total of 29,000 of the drivers were able to pass the exams. The exams are currently conducted by the State Examination Center.

As a result of the applied color and year requirements, the average age of cars was reduced from 14 and a half to 8 years. I would like to note that before that, 40 percent of the 67,000 car fleet was older than 15 years. Currently, cars older than 15 years have generally been removed from service, the number of hybrid and electric taxis of the same color, white, in the city is constantly increasing, with special permission from us.

Dear Mr. President, I would like to note one special point. Using the “Etaxi” system created as part of the AYNA information system, we can now fully control taxi service and movements.

Thanks to all this work, initial positive results have been achieved. However, in order to meet the mobility needs of citizens, it was necessary to prepare a unified plan that would take into account the joint operation of all means of transport. On your instruction, work was carried out in this direction, and at the first stage, all flows into the city were assessed. It turned out that more than 630,000 passengers-citizens head towards the center of Baku every day. These citizens move towards the center of the city in approximately 300,000 cars. Their directions have also become clear. In particular, the Sumgayit-Khirdalan direction has a large share here. Other directions are the outskirts of Baku. Based on this, a single, coordinated and integrated transport plan has been prepared, and I would like to report on its directions to you. There are two main directions here. The first direction is the implementation of road infrastructure projects. There were 50 road infrastructure projects. These were simulated in a digital twin and the most optimal and efficient nine projects were prioritized and reported to you. These projects relate to three ring roads: the Bilgah-Novkhani-Khirdalan-Shamakhi highway, the Sabunchu-Sulutapa highway, and a ring road connecting the first ring road to Ziya Bunyadov Avenue. As a result of the construction of the ring roads, a part of the flows of the main arteries of the city center will switch to these roads, so that the city center will be relieved. Six other projects are also aimed at resolving the bottlenecks within the city, so that the movement of vehicles here will be somewhat smoother.

Dear Mr. President, I would now like to present additional information about the 20 January project. Since this is a rather complex problem, analyses were conducted at 15 intersections starting from Khirdalan Roundabout to Tbilisi Avenue, from 20 January to Ziya Bunyadov Avenue, by taking photographs and collecting data. As a result, a large simulation was prepared. This simulation included the improvement of the Khirdalan Roundabout, the construction of road junctions and overpasses, the expansion of roads in the direction of Ziya Bunyadov Avenue, as well as the opening of new roads from Shamakhi Road to Khirdalan city, as well as creating opportunities for entering the city from there. Design work in this direction will begin shortly.

The second direction is the direction of public transportation. Thus, even after the roads are built, it is not possible for buses alone to carry out all this transportation. Because the demand is very high and it is also very important to expand the services of carriers. Here, the development scenarios of the metro were analyzed and the most optimal scenario was selected by simulation. It has been reported to you that 10 new stations will be built and four stations will be connected. These 10 stations are the extension of the “Purple Line” to Babak Avenue and the “Green Line” to the “Hazi Aslanov” metro station. I would like to note that the extension of the “Purple Line” will also expand the use of the “Avtovagzal” and “Khojasan” metro stations and will once again significantly reduce the pressure on the 20 January metro station and that roundabout.

The extension of the “Green Line” from “Hazi Aslanov” will benefit thousands of citizens who use the city center to travel to and from the shopping center in Khojasan on a daily basis. This will once again lead to a decrease in traffic in the city center. As a result of the implementation of these projects, it will be possible to transport another 88 million passengers by metro per year. The metro will carry out transportation within the city.

However, in addition, 400,000 passengers enter the capital from the outskirts of the city per day, and a program to expand railway services is also planned to benefit these passengers. First, there are plans to add trains to the Absheron ring road and put the Guzdak-Garadagh railway into operation to prevent freight trains from entering the ring road. It was also decided to return some existing, but outdated and decommissioned railways to operation. These are the directions “Zabrat 2”-“Mashtagha”-“Baghlar”-“Albali”, Bakikhanov-Bina-Gala-Yeni Surakhani-Hovsan, which will also enable to alleviate passenger traffic. In the next stage, there are plans to build a railway line from Yeni Surakhani to Heydar Aliyev International Airport so that the railway can serve when passenger traffic increases there.

Two residential areas in Baku – Mehdiabad and “Sea Breeze” – do not have access to the metro and railway. However, it is planned to introduce tram lines in these areas. A tram line will be laid from “Sea Breeze” and connected to the Pirshaghi station, and a hub will be created there. It is planned to lay a tram line from the Mehdiabad-Binagadi direction, connecting the metro with the “28 May” station, so that passengers can be served.

Dear Mr. President, in parallel with all these works, the bus fleet will also be expanded. Baku city needs 2,800 buses. The number of bus depots will also be increased because the work of buses must also change. Therefore, carriers must provide transportation. Thank you for your attention.

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Then, the discussions continued.