Armenia Begins Design Work on TRIPP Railway, Highway and Power Lines

YEREVAN — Armenia has begun design preparations for the railway, highway, and electricity transmission lines envisioned under the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project, without waiting for the establishment of the joint Armenian-American development company.

Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan announced the decision during the government’s October 22 meeting, presenting the results of a working visit to Syunik Province the previous day.

“To avoid wasting time, we believe it is appropriate to begin the design work immediately,” Grigoryan said.

He explained that the completed preparatory work would subsequently be transferred to the TRIPP Development Company (TDC) once the joint venture is formally established.

On October 21, Grigoryan visited Syunik Province alongside Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure David Khudatyan and Urban Development Committee Chairman Yeghiazar Vardanyan to discuss organizational matters related to launching the project’s infrastructure design phase.

According to the deputy prime minister, the visit focused on preparing for the design process and examining possible locations for the planned infrastructure, including the railway, highway, and energy transmission facilities.

Grigoryan said the proposed railway route is largely clear, allowing design work to proceed without significant uncertainty.

“Everything related to the railway is clear. Essentially, there is nothing new for us in that regard. We primarily wanted to examine the condition of the engineering structures on-site once again and reach a final understanding,” he explained.

Unlike the railway, the proposed highway still requires additional technical assessment.

“There are still modeling issues concerning the highway because certain sections present difficult terrain and accessibility challenges,” Grigoryan said.

He emphasized that the final road design must ensure the route’s competitiveness for regional transit transportation.

“A transit road will be competitive, and our expenditures will be efficient, only if it offers operational advantages at the regional level,” he stated.

Regarding electricity transmission lines, Grigoryan said the situation is generally clear, although the precise routes must still be finalized and subjected to additional technical modeling.

The deputy prime minister confirmed that preliminary design activities for all three infrastructure components can proceed independently of the formal establishment of the TRIPP Development Company.

He added that more detailed infrastructure sketches are expected to be presented for discussion in the near future, after which the full design process will begin.

Grigoryan also confirmed that preparatory work in Syunik Province is continuing.