Friday, 11 January 2008
RA Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan visited the Yerevan subway after Karen Demirchyan to get acquainted with the pace of implementation of the assignment contained in his decision No. 797-A of November 16, 2007, as well as to hold a consultative meeting with the view of discussing the program of improvements to the subway for the period 2008-2012. In accordance with the above-mentioned decision of the RA Prime Minister, an interagency commission has been established to study the performance and the current status of "Yerevan Subway after Karen Demirchyan" CJSC (infrastructure, exploitation and safety, rolling stock) and submit a package of proposals on the ways to addressing the problems faced by the Yerevan subway administration.
Before proceeding to the consultative meeting, Serzh Sargsyan called at Republic Square, Zoravar Andranik, Yeritasardakan and Barekamutiun stations to get a first-hand view of the problems available in the area of water drainage, maintenance of moving stairways, as well as to get acquainted with the operations of the relay unit and the central office of the railway-traffic control service.
At the consultative meeting, Head of the interagency commission, RA Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration Vache Terteryan reported back the findings of the study carried out about the subway administration. Serzh Sargsyan took up the problems highlighted in the report with the participants of the consultative meeting by stressing that everything should be done in order to enhance the competitiveness of the subway and make it more comfortable to passengers. He emphasized the need of making serious efforts towards the preparation of the development program and assured that the Government will approve the package of priority expenditure for the subway by the end of this January.
The Prime Minister further assured that the funds allocated from the State budget will not decrease in the years ahead as they are not considered as a lump-sum support. According to Serzh Sargsyan, 2/3 of spending will be covered by the State, with the remaining balance to be paid from the proceeds of the subway's own profit.
