Ulaanbaatar
Service and rest areas to be built along tourist routes
Society
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Ministry of Road and Transport Development are working together to create rest areas and service areas with public toilets, shops, fuel stations, and restaurants along main tourist routes through public private partnership to provide a safer and more convenient travel experience for tourists. Minister of Environment and Tourism N.Urtnasan, Minister of Road and Transport Development L.Khaltar, and CEO of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI) T.Duuren had a virtual meeting to discuss the plan.
There will be three classes of service and rest areas. A-class facilities will be built along national highways that carry over 10 thousand vehicles per day, B-class facilities along highways that carry 5-10 thousand vehicles per day, and C-class facilities along highways with a daily vehicle volume of up to 5 thousand. The design and budget have been approved for the facilities to be created at 31 locations across the country. Joint working groups of the two ministries and local governments of aimags have already identified 30 suitable sites, of which 21 have been zoned for special use by local councils of aimags and soums.
Minister N.Urtnasan stressed the need for the private sector’s involvement. Minister L.Khaltar concurred with the Environment Minister and proposed having MNCCI make offers to its leading member companies. They also agreed to build the service areas every 200 km and the rest areas every 100 km. The project contractor will be selected with MNCCI representatives in accordance with guidelines jointly approved by the two ministries. There will be parking areas, gas stations, motor vehicle service centers, car washes, fast food restaurants, public toilets, shops and medical aid facilities in the rest areas.
