ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 30. The Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan has laid out the major happenings in the nation's transport sector for 2024, Trend reports.
Kazakhstan set a new benchmark in 2024, completing a total of 12,000 km of road construction, reconstruction, and repairs. This is the highest figure ever recorded in the sector. The roadworks involved more than 25,000 workers and 10,000 specialized pieces of equipment over the course of the season.
The road-makers wrapped up work on 7,000 km of roads, covering stretches of the Karaganda-Almaty, Taldykorgan-Ust-Kamenogorsk, Aktobe-Kandyagash, and Atyrau-Astrakhan routes. The rollout of these projects has paved the way for safer vehicle movement, cut down travel time, boosted road capacity, and enhanced transport links across the country's regions.
Local executive authorities have put into operation over 3,600 km of roads. The largest volume of repair work was carried out in Kostanay, North Kazakhstan, East Kazakhstan, Aktobe, and Pavlodar regions. In Kostanay, 655 km of roads were completed, in North Kazakhstan – 611 km, in East Kazakhstan – 305 km, in Aktobe – 301 km, and in Pavlodar – 272 km.
More than 200 domestic companies participated in the road construction season. The use of locally produced road construction materials amounted to about 96 percent. As a result of the work carried out, the share of local roads in satisfactory condition increased, reaching an average of 89 percent across the country. For comparison, in 2019, this figure was 68 percent.
There are three major infrastructure projects that were also completed in Kazakhstan: A bridge over the Bukhtarma Reservoir in East Kazakhstan, the longest in Central Asia; A two-lane tunnel at the Shakpakbaba Pass in the Turkestan region; An overpass above the railway at the Shamalgan station in the Almaty region.
These projects were all really one of a kind. The 1,316-meter-long bridge over the Bukhtarma Reservoir connects seven districts of East Kazakhstan, reducing the distance by 500 km. The average time to cross the bridge is up to 4 minutes.
The 840-meter-long two-lane tunnel at the Shakpakbaba Pass in the Turkestan region significantly improved transport accessibility and safety, ensuring smooth vehicle movement regardless of harsh weather conditions. This project became an important part of the international transport route "Western Europe - Western China."
A new overpass, 6 km long, at the Shamalgan station in the Almaty region allows motorists to safely cross the railway tracks.
As a result of the road construction season in 2024, access was opened to tourist destinations such as Balkhash, Alakol, Bokey-Orda, Altai, and the Bayanaul National Park, among others.
Three major infrastructure projects for the construction of railways with a total length of 1,100 km are in progress: "Dostyk - Moyinty," the Almaty bypass railway, and "Darbaza - Maktaaral." The completion of these projects will ensure and expand the uninterrupted export of Kazakhstani products and increase the country's overall transit potential.
Moreover, in 2024, 1,400 km of railway tracks were repaired, and 143 wagons were purchased.
Additionally, in 2025, the construction of second tracks between the Dostyk and Moyinty stations will be completed, increasing the section's capacity by five times. The completion of the Almaty bypass railway will significantly reduce the load on the region's railways and the city of Almaty. The planned completion of the "Darbaza - Maktaaral" project will open a new stage in the integration of southern Kazakhstan into international transit networks.