(MENAFN- AzerNews)
Elnur Enveroglu read more Azerbaijan's Hiroshima - Aghdam was known also as a ghost town
since it was occupied by Armenian forces in the First Karabakh War
in July 1993. Founded in the 18th century, it was granted city
status in 1828 and grew considerably during the Soviet period.
Aghdam lies 26 km (16 miles) from Azerbaijan's Kahnkendi at the
eastern foot of the Karabakh Range, on the outskirts of the
Karabakh plain.
By the time it was occupied and ruined by Armenian separatists,
Aghdam had been famous for its butter, wine and brandy, machine,
and silk factories, an airport and two railway stations functioned
there. Today, this city, which looks like a ghost town, was once
the home of 23,100 Azerbaijani Turks, and after 1989, the city was
gradually abandoned as a result of provocations by Armenian
separatists. The heavy fighting forced the city's population to
flee eastwards, and upon the seizure, Armenian forces sacked the
town. Until 2020, it was almost entirely ruined and
uninhabited.
As part of an agreement that ended the 2020 Second Karabakh War
(known as also The Patriotic War), the town and its surrounding
district came under Azerbaijani control on 20 November 2020.
Today, Aghdam replaces its former ghost town name with the
status of a rebuilt, flourishing Aghdam and enters a new era of its
development. This was clearly reflected by the participation of
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban
Aliyeva in the groundbreaking ceremonies of a number of large-scale
infrastructure works during their recent visit to Aghdam.
First up, the President laid a foundation stone for the Digital
Management Center and Training-Education Complex owned by
“Azerishig” OJSC in the city of Aghdam.
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva then laid
the foundation stone for the Aghdam Mugham Center, the 2nd and 3rd
residential quarters to be built in the city of Aghdam, and an
administrative building in the city center.
The head of state also viewed the progress of construction of
the Barda-Aghdam railway line.
New Digital Management Center, Training-Education
Complex of Azerishig in Aghdam was founded by President Ilham
Aliyev.
As informed by Chairman of“Azerishig” OJSC Vugar Ahmadov to the
President at the groundbreaking ceremony, the Digital Management
Center will meet the electricity needs of the city's multi-purpose
infrastructure.
It is noteworthy that the Training-Education Complex will be
enabled to host international events with necessary conditions to
be created soon. Besides, according to Ahmadov, the Regional
Training Center of the complex will consist of a training hall and
a training ground.
Azerbaijani President was also informed of the works done by
“Azerishig” OJSC in order to build the electric power distribution
network in the liberated territories.
It should also be mentioned that Karabakh is the cradle of
culture. Mugham is also an integral cultural gem of Azerbaijan. A
number of important steps taken by Azerbaijan's Vice President
Mehriban Aliyeva in the direction of keeping mugham alive are also
of particular importance. In this regard, the opening of the new
mugham center in Aghdam is a symbol of the great concern for the
development of mugham art.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban
Aliyeva have attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the Aghdam
Mugham Center during the visit.
Noting that special Representative of the President of the
Republic of Azerbaijan in the liberated territories of the Karabakh
Economic Region (except Shusha district) Emin Huseynov briefed the
President and First Lady on the project.
Having a café, cinema, library on its first floor, the Center
will comprise 637-seat concert hall and two dancing halls. With its
administrative rooms projected on its second floor, the center will
also have 15 classrooms, an exhibition hall, convention hall, rooms
for teachers and managers and a large open-air amphitheater.
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva laid the
foundation stone for the Aghdam Mugham Center as well.
Aghdam is no longer a ghost town, Aghdam is being rebuilt to
become the most prosperous and most beloved abode of new residents.
Yes, the 2nd and 3rd residential quarters to be built in Aghdam and
the groundbreaking ceremony was held in the presence of the head of
state and his wife, were for the realization of this goal.
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have
attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the 2nd residential quarter
to be built in the city of Aghdam.
As the President and the First Lady were informed of the new
construction, a large part of the territory of the residential
quarter, which occupies a total area of 14 hectares, will consist
of a green zone. The quarter will be built on the central street of
Aghdam. A total of 1,268 apartments comprised of 114 one-room, 464
two-room, 536 three-room, and 154 four-room will be built in the
residential quarter. The Azerbaijani President and the First lady
also attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the 3rd residential
quarter to be built in the city of Aghdam.
The President and the First Lady were informed of the
construction progress of a new building of the 960-seat Aghdam city
school No1. It is worth to note that the foundation stone for the
school was laid by President Ilham Aliyev on May 28, 2021. The
school, which was founded in 1883, is the oldest educational
institution in the Karabakh region.
As regards the construction of the residential area, the quarter
occupies an area of about 17 hectares. Besides, a total of 1,239
apartments comprised of 25 one-room, 396 two-room, 533 three-room,
and 285 four-room are planned be built in the residential
quarter.
Laying the construction of a robust and multifaceted
administrative building
With its five-storey building Aghdam's newly constructed
administrative building will occupy a total area of 24,500 square
meters. This was reported by Special Representative of the
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the liberated
territories of the Karabakh Economic Region (except Shusha
district) Emin Huseynov to the President of the Republic of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva as attended
the building's groundbreaking ceremony in the city of Aghdam.
The building will house a parking lot, technical rooms, a
kitchen, auditorium, the district statistical office, the district
department of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the
local department of the Ministry of Digital Development and
Transport, the district culture office, the DOST Center, meeting
rooms, a secretariat, the headquarters of the special
representative office of the President of the Republic of
Azerbaijan, a banquet hall, offices and other rooms.
A parade square, a park with an area of 17,500 square meters and
a town square will be built in front of the administrative
building.
Firm steel rails that will extend to Agdam
Aghdam will no longer be separated from the districts of
Azerbaijan. The strong steel rails connecting it will extend to
many regions as well.
Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev viewed the construction
progress of the Barda-Aghdam railway line in his recent visit to
Aghdam.
As he was informed, the construction of the railway line is
scheduled to be finished in 2023. The single-track railway is 47.1
kilometers long. The area along the railway line was cleared of
mines.
The Barda-Tazakend and Tazakend-Aghdam sections of the railway
are 80% and 71% complete respectively.
President Ilham Aliyev was also briefed about the Aghdam city
railway and bus terminal complex. The railway and bus terminals are
scheduled to handle respectively 1000 and up to 1500 passengers
daily.
All this once again shows that it is not a problem for
Azerbaijan to bring any destroyed areas back to life. Armenia
turned every place it occupied into ruins, and made Agdam and other
areas like it uninhabitable. However, Azerbaijan's determination
and optimistic view of the future put an end to all this black
page. Long live Aghdam, long live Azerbaijan!
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Elnur Enveroglu is AzerNews' deputy editor-in-chief, follow him
on @elnurmammadli1