AZE.US
An Azerbaijani public figure has proposed moving the country’s capital from Baku to Khankendi as a long-term solution to overcrowding, traffic congestion and continued migration toward the capital.
Elman Jafarli, head of the Green World Environmental Awareness Public Union, said Baku has become overburdened by population growth, rising car ownership and the concentration of universities, government institutions and businesses in one city.
He acknowledged, however, that Azerbaijan currently has no alternative city with the infrastructure required to accommodate parliament, ministries, the Supreme Court, foreign embassies and international organizations.
Building a new administrative center would require billions of manats and take years, Jafarli said. For that reason, he described reducing Baku’s workload as a more realistic immediate option.
He proposed relocating some universities from Baku to cities including Guba, Shirvan, Lankaran, Aghdam and Sheki. According to Jafarli, such a move could stimulate regional housing markets, attract skilled professionals and ease pressure on the capital’s public transportation system.
He also suggested moving some television stations, publishing houses, shopping centers and other major facilities away from central Baku or to regional cities.
Should Azerbaijan eventually decide to relocate its capital, Jafarli said Khankendi would be the strongest option.
He argued that the city has a favorable climate and terrain suitable for further urban expansion. Moving the country’s administrative center westward, he said, could also help slow the decades-long flow of people from Azerbaijan’s western regions toward Baku.
The proposal reflects one expert’s opinion. Azerbaijani authorities have not announced any official plans to move the capital from Baku.
AZE.US