Kazakhstan: Construction Industry Urges for Return to Previous Time Zone

Another petition demanding a return to the previous time zone has appeared on the e-Petition portal, Orda.kz reports.

This time, the initiative comes from representatives of the construction industry, who argue that the shift to the new time has negatively affected work quality, employee health, and operating costs.

According to the petition’s authors, the decision to change the time was made by “people sitting in offices,” while the practical consequences were borne by those working on the ground.

Among the cited problems are weaker oversight of construction and installation work, a decline in the quality of engineering and façade solutions, and difficulties in accepting materials due to insufficient daylight.

Construction workers also report higher energy consumption and disrupted biorhythms, noting that employees become fatigued earlier than usual, which directly reduces productivity.

The authors argue that these effects extend beyond the sector itself and impact regional economic output.

Kazakhstan switched to UTC+5 on March 1, 2024. Since then, not all residents have adapted to the change. 

Original Author: Raushan Korzhumbekova