Armenian authorities faced repeated delays in constructing a new district in Shurnukh village, Syunik Province, following the 44-Day War when half of the village was handed over to Azerbaijan, as reported by journalist Davit Galstyan.
Initially, the project was planned to start in February 2021 and complete by the end of the year, with the goal of constructing 13 houses and the associated road. The estimated cost of the project was 700 million drams ($1.35 million), and 470 million drams were allocated for this purpose.
However, the project encountered setbacks and faced a new target completion period of September-November 2022. Delays were attributed to border incidents, material shortages, and logistical challenges, including road collapse.
On May 26, 2022, the Armenian Government made the decision to provide an extra sum of 395,706,000 drams (approximately $880,000) for the development of housing in the villages of Shurnukh and Vorotan, situated in the Syunik region. The Government also paid compensation to residents forcibly displaced from their homes and set a new deadline of June 30, 2023, but this time the deadline was also not met.
The RA Urban Planning Committee now expects the construction of 13 houses to be completed on August 15, 2023, with further improvement works (paving of roads and sidewalks) scheduled for September 2023. The delays were attributed to the Khot-Vorotan road collapse and issues with the contractor company, “Art Construct,” formerly known as “Anapat-2.” The committee stated that the current work is progressing at full capacity.
Following the 44-Day War, the process of border demarcation between Armenia and Azerbaijan commenced. As a result, on December 29, the Azerbaijanis gave Shurnukh residents only one day to evacuate half of the village, specifically 13 houses. Subsequently, the inhabitants of 13 houses had to flee from their homes and moved to the part that remained under Armenia’s control.
