By AZE.US
The complete closure of a road section leading from Moscow Avenue toward Bilajari has drawn sharp criticism from an Azerbaijani television host, who warned that the repairs could worsen congestion at one of Baku’s busiest entrances.
The side road of Moscow Avenue in Baku’s Binagadi district, on the descent toward Bilajari, was closed to traffic from 8 p.m. on September 4 due to repair work.
The State Agency of Azerbaijan Automobile Roads said the restriction would remain in place until the work is completed. Drivers were advised to use alternative routes and were asked to be understanding about the temporary disruption.
However, the television host sharply criticized both the timing of the project and the absence of a specific completion date.
“Why are you putting us through hell on the roads? Weren’t July and August enough? Why begin the repairs now, when people are returning to Baku from the regions, students are arriving, and the school year is about to begin?” she said.
Traffic in the Azerbaijani capital has already increased considerably as residents return after the summer holidays. The host warned that closing the Bilajari turn would divert more vehicles onto the Baku–Sumgayit highway, which already experiences severe congestion during peak hours.
She also questioned the authorities’ use of the phrase “until the repair work is completed,” arguing that motorists should be told whether the restrictions will last several days, weeks or months.
“Who determines these dates? Doesn’t the person approving the decision understand what will happen when thousands of additional cars are forced onto an already overloaded highway?” she asked.
According to the presenter, major road repairs should have been carried out in July or August, when traffic volumes were lower and many residents were outside the capital.
She said she regularly uses the affected road and questioned why it had been selected for repairs while numerous neighborhood streets across Baku remain in far worse condition.
“Leave the roads that are in acceptable condition alone and repair those that are genuinely falling apart,” she said.
The host also accused road agencies of repeatedly resurfacing central routes while neglecting badly damaged streets. She argued that heavy rainfall frequently exposes weaknesses in Baku’s roads and drainage infrastructure despite significant public spending in the sector.
With students, teachers and schoolchildren preparing to resume their daily commutes, she warned that the closure could affect hundreds of thousands of motorists and substantially increase pressure on the Baku–Sumgayit corridor.
“We are facing difficult and stressful days on the roads,” the presenter concluded.
AZE.US