Demolition of houses in Azerbaijani continues (Updated)

Demolition of residential units in Azerbaijan continues, and not just in the main downtown area. Here is a snippet of one of the buildings being demolished for construction of a concert hall. Ironically, demolished house is located near the "highest flagpole".



Just now, an article [AZ] appeared on the Radio Liberty local service, reporting on new houses being demolished with residents actually living inside of these buildings. According to the article, none of the residents were given new housing but already demolition and eviction are on its way. 

The state institution in charge- State Committee on Property Issues- and its department head Yusif Qambarov refused to respond to questions of the news portal. 

In the meantime demolition continues in the neighboring area where Peace and Democracy Institute was once located.    

I don't want a Bentley dealership

I have written on this occasion before- Baku's unprecedented construction boom has been reported a number of times and keeps on popping in the news then and now. High rise buildings, expensive boutique shops, however all built at the expense of others. The lavish spending by the authorities and the few who can actually afford the luxury have chosen to close their eyes and forget about the others- pretty much the rest of the country. 

Who cares about people being evicted from their homes, when rich businessman can buy himself a Bentley from the shopping center in Baku? Thats right, the exclusiveness one can get here, could hardly be found in a village in the outskirts of the country. 

But again, who cares about them, Azerbaijani authorities are notorious for their "love" and "care" for its people- yes, in our dreams that is. 

And so, yes, I don't want a Bentley dealership, nor do I want a winter boulevard, especially as its being build at the expense of residents who used to live in that old area of Baku. 

I still have pictures of what is now just rubbles. I used to stroll down those narrow streets until I would reach the Fountain Square but that I guess is just left in a distant memory of my Baku and I am savoring it as who knows whats going to happen next in Baku. 

To read more on Azerbaijan's construction boom click:

- Azerbaijan: halt illegal house demolitions, forced evictions (Human Rights Watch);

- Winners and losers in the new Baku (BBC News);

Baku, sweet home

I have written before about Baku, its history, its construction boom and how little attention and care is given to protect the old Baku from getting completely destructed for projects like winter boulevard or road expansion. 

Below, I would like to share two videos- one is how one of the most central residential parts of Baku got destroyed for Winter Boulevard project, including how strategically local administrative authorities were kicking out old residents from their homes. 

The second video, is about road expansion project- one of the new things thats IN across the country. But this road expansion is taking land from residents along the road who are obviously are not happy about it. Nor they are happy with the compensation- money offered doesn't really cover the loss of property let alone trees and all the plants and etc. 

I am just curious, why on earth do we need Winter Boulevard, as if its the only thing we need in Azerbaijan? We have great lives, people have good salaries, impeccable infrastructure and Winter Boulevard is the last we need?! 

As to road expansion, if that road is going to break down in few months like other new roads built in and across the country then wont it be better to let those people keep they land and let more trees live? Or is it an absolute absolute must to have 8 lanes roads (or less) or simply have that specific area with less lanes?

There is this famous song about Baku in Azeri ('Jan Baku') that goes along these lines: "Dear Baku, dear home, we all live as one family ..." It looks like less and less people will be singing this song as there will be no dear homes and one families living together in dear Baku...