30 Years: MP Criticizes Inability to Utilize Kazakhstan's Location

The parliamentarian stated that the railways are in critical condition, construction deadlines are not being met, and the Transport Ministry should be more open about financing, Orda.kz reports.

At a parliamentary session, MP Sergei Ponomarev slammed the current state of Kazakhstan's transport and road infrastructure.

He noted that the country's locomotive wear and tear is 61%, and the railway infrastructure is deplorable.

The deputy also highlighted Kazakhstan's loss of competitiveness in aviation. According to him, international air carriers such as Lufthansa and KLM have long since left the country, giving way to local monopolists.

We have the most late and unapologetic airlines, as well as the most expensive low-cost airline in the world, Ponomarev stated.

The deputy underscored road construction. According to him, only one major highway, the BAKAD, has been completed on time and within budget over the past ten years because foreign contractors built it.

Ponomarev noted that domestic companies working under KazAvtoJol's guidance invariably come across overpriced projects and endless deadline extensions.

In July, the Development Bank of Kazakhstan allocated 450 billion tenge to KazAvtoJol. The terms and conditions for the return of these amounts are unknown. Please state what the company's overall debt burden is? How do they plan to pay it off? the deputy addressed the Transport Ministry.

Transport Minister Marat Karabayev reported that funds have been allocated for medium repairs.

They are 10 times cheaper than major repairs. Projects are being implemented faster due to simplified assessment.

As for foreign participation, Karabayev noted that local companies face difficulties due to the turnover requirements of international financial institutions, which often exceed $100 million. 

To solve the problem, plots are divided, and Kazakhstani companies are given preferences.

The deputy also raised the issue of a small but strategically important road leading from Almaty to BAO (Big Almaty Lake, Ed.).

It supplies Almaty with drinking water. Three years ago, the road partially collapsed, and the gullies reached 50 meters in depth.

The road was simply closed, the capital repair project was developed back in 2021. When will it be repaired and wouldn't it be easier to transfer it to the city's balance sheet if you can't provide proper repairs? continued Ponomarev.

Karabayev pledged to forward the request to the relevant committee to clarify the timeframe for restoring the road.

Transit could become a point of economic growth for Kazakhstan, but in 30 years of independence the country has not been able to take full advantage of its geographical location, summed up Sergei Ponomarev.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov