Archi­tects say town planning reg­u­la­tions forbid the con­struc­tion of high-rise buildings on the coast. (Vafa Zeynalova /OC Media)

The lack of job oppor­tu­ni­ties and devel­op­ment prospects in the rural regions of Azer­bai­jan has provoked a pop­u­la­tion influx to the capital, and the rapid growth of Baku’s pop­u­la­tion has increased the load on the city’s infra­struc­ture. Problems faced by the metrop­o­lis and its inhab­i­tants include gas cutoffs, waste man­age­ment issues, water shortages, and traffic jams. [Read more…]