Minister of roads receives ADB project heads
Minister of Roads and Transport J.Bat-Erdene received Asian Development Bank (ADB) project experts to discuss the progress, obstacles, and potential amendments on two infrastructure projects being implemented by ADB in Mongolia, the Western Regional Road Corridor Investment Program and the Regional Road Development and Maintenance Project.
The minister underlined how linking the five western provinces with Ulaanbaatar has been an urgent issue for the country. J.Bat-Erdene expressed gratitude to ADB for its Western Regional Road Corridor Investment Program, which seeks to address this issue among others. First proposed by the transport minister in 2003, ADB has been implementing the project since 2011. J.Bat-Erdene discussed how three of the four stages of the program have been implemented and expressed regret that the fourth stage was canceled by a court decision.
With the remaining proceeds from the project, the minister proposed using the money to establish 11 tollbooths, reroute the road going through the center of Bayan-Ulgii Province, and build a bridge.
The Regional Road Development and Maintenance Project was recently approved by the ADB board and will rehabilitate and enhance the safety of road corridor sections, Mongolia’s crucial links with the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation, along Ulaanbaatar–Darkhan and Darkhan–Altanbulag. The road project is also aimed at inclusive economic growth through increased trade, as well as boost agriculture, agribusiness, and tourism.
J.Bat-Erdene discussed how special attention needs to be paid to the Ulaanbaatar–Darkhan road as it has had minimal repairs since its construction in 1946. The minister discussed the need to increase the road width to 8.5 meters, lay asphalt of seven centimeters, and to fully rebuild the bridges on the road.
As a legislator representing Bulgan Province, the minister expressed that every time he travels on these roads, he feels saddened by the deaths caused by frequent accidents that happen on these roads. He went on to thank ADB again for its contribution in helping improve road safety.
One concern held by the minister is that the original blueprint in 2015 did not modify the measurements of the road. J.Bat-Erdene said that it is unfortunate the funding was approved based on the insufficient blueprint that was drafted in 2015. As a result, the ministry has been tasked with redrafting the blueprint at the directive of the minister. He asked ADB experts to help support in approving the new blueprints and to jointly begin construction in spring 2019.
ADB experts agreed that the remaining funds from the project should be used to build the tollbooths and that the other issues can be ironed out in future talks. In terms of the Ulaanbaatar– Darkhan road, the representatives said that the project was approved based on the old blueprints and that the project must now focus on how the proceeds can be spent in a way that is most economically beneficial.
ADB said that it understands the concerns held by the minister and will work to incorporate his proposals into the project. Therefore, the mutual interest of the two sides has become finding additional funding and finding a solution to the problem. The two sides agreed to discuss the issue at length at the next meeting.