YEREVAN (ARKA), March 11–Construction on the “Achapnyak” metro station in northern Yerevan will continue in 2011, said Gagik Beglaryan, Yerevan City Mayor.

The Yerevan Municipality conducted negotiations with the Asian Development Bank and has already made plans for 2011.

“It is possible that, as a the result of the negotiations, a second entrance to the “Yeritasardakan” metro station at the interesection of Abovyan and Sayat Nova Streets will be opened in 2011, and the unfinished construction of the “Achapnyak” station will resume,” Beglaryan said.

The opening of the second entrance to the “Yeritasardakan” station was anticipated during the construction of the subway line but the work was only 60 percent completed.

Tigran Davtyan, the Armenian Minister of Finance, said that the construction programs are of great importance for Yerevan.

“The issue of opening a second entrance to the “Yeritasardakan” station is being discussed,” the minister said.

The Yerevan Karen Demirchyan Metropolitan railway system receives sufficient subsidies from the state budget, and the programs should be viewed in the context of economic efficiency.

Yerevan’s metro was opened in 1981 and now has 10 stations.  “Charbakh” was the last station to be opened in 1996.

The metro will receive 15 million euro for the implementation of the modernization and reconstruction program, from which 5 million euro will be allocated by EBRD and 5 million euro by the European Investment Bank. An additional 5 million euro will be granted by the European Commission.

Photo credit: Bouarf