OREANDA-NEWS. On August 18, 2009 President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov made a working trip to Balkan Velayat to see the progress in construction of a new town of Turkmenbashi, reported the Official website turkmenistan.gov.tm.

In the morning the President’s plane landed in the airport of the littoral town where the cabinet ministers, local high-ranking officials and the elders heartily greeted the Turkmen leader. On the airfield the President held a conversion with the people of the littoral region.

During the sincere conversation the President asked about the everyday concerns of the people, housing and living conditions in the western region of Turkmenistan where the large-scale projects that would fundamentally change the look of towns and villages and guarantee a qualitatively new, higher life quality to the people had been launched there. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that heavy investments were made for this purpose, to address the social issues in particular. The President said that these issues were a priority of the national policy for the ultimate goal of the fundamental reforms and changes initiated in Turkmenistan – the wellbeing and happiness of people. Balkan Velayat was a pioneer in this regard for it was there that the historical changes that had come to the Turkmen land together with the epoch of New Revival had been launched. The etrap administrative centre Esenguly was revived and the fundamental reforms had come to Bereket town. The project on creation of Avaza national tourism zone on the Caspian Sea coast was in full swing.

The Turkmen leader said that he had signed the Resolution that would lunch fundamental changes in Serdar town aboard. This document provided for establishment of modern urban infrastructure including comfortable apartment houses, schools, kindergartens, health care, cultural and housing facilities. The President informed that the Resolution on financing construction of the stadium in Balkanabat had been signed.

The President inspected the proposed construction site of new Turkmenbashi town and thoroughly reviewed the general layout of the future town designed by Turkmendovlettaslama Institute of the Ministry of Construction and the results of the geodesic survey conducted in the littoral regions the President focused on the need to revise thoroughly the aspects of this grandiose plan.

The Turkmen leader emphasized that the new town which would be built of the Caspian seashore must comply with the status of the world-class seaside resort that was being created there. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that apartment houses, administrative buildings, social and cultural facilities, transport and communication and civil engineering infrastructure must meet the urban development requirements, harmoniously combine the world trends in architecture and landscape design and the national traditions of the art of building.

Focusing on the issues of improvement of the urban environment – streets, public gardens and squares the President demanded that strict control must be taken of planting greenery in the territories of the future town and Avaza national tourism zone that would be ‘the visit card’ of Turkmenistan on the western borders. The Turkmen leader noted that this task should be fulfilled through taking a science-based approach and the local soil and climatic condition in consideration.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that the necessary result – to build a beautiful modern city-garden presenting comfort and pleasure to its people and guests could be achieved through taking an integrated approach to fulfilling the designated tasks.

Balkan Velayat Khyakim O. Nyyazlyev reported that three health-improving centres in Avaza national tourism zone would be put into operation in the near future and on the results of the international tender for construction of the seaport in Turkmenbashi. Commenting on the report the President noted that the project being implemented in the littoral town must adopt the latest architectural, engineering and technical thoughts and meet the environmental requirements.

As is known the Caspian region plays an important role in implementing Turkmenistan’s new economic strategy aimed at bringing the country up to the level of the developed countries with the high living standards within a short period of time. The abundant natural resources and favourable geopolitical location on the transport routes paved on the Eurasian content in ancient times, the climatic conditions conducive to development of health and resort industry and industrial infrastructure – these and other factors create the unique requisites for dynamic development of the region and allow promptly receiving return on investments.

The special economic environment with the preferential visa, customs and tax treatment for the companies and firms operating in the region in Turkmenbashi town and Avaza national tourism zone in its suburbs provided the launch pad for this large-scale reform process.

The seaport in Turkmenbashi will be modernized. Cruise ships, motor vessels and yachts will replenish the national fleet. In the near future 1,500-km Turkmenbashi-Ashgabat-Farab highway and Yeralievo-Turkmenbashi-Bereket-Gorgan railway being jointly built by Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Iran that will connect the countries in Europe and South Asia will be the important links of he transnational transportation network.

The fundamental changes have come to the other parts of Balkan Velayat. The new settlement of Esenguly – the prototype of rural agro-industrial zone sprang up on the Caspian seashore. The similar zones are being created throughout the country under the President’s National Programme on Improvement of the Social and Living Conditions in Villages, Settlements, Towns in Etraps and Etrap Centres for the period till 2020. Dozens of new social and economic facilities including schools, hospitals, kindergartens, sports complexes, industrial enterprises are being built in Bereket and the administrative centre of the western region – Balkanabat. The new investment project has been launched according to the Resolution of the President – to develop social and economic infrastructure in Serdar town.

The 2008-2012 Concept of Social and Economic Development of Balkan Velayat will create powerful incentives to develop fish and construction industries and agriculture in the region.

Each of these projects – a visible result of the Turkmen leader’s constructive policy – the policy of fundamental changes and progressive reforms aimed at enhancing the economic strengthen of the country and achieving prosperity and wellbeing for the Turkmen people.