This year, Kazakhstan will introduce 4,000 kilometers of toll roads. This was announced today during a government meeting, where Transport Minister Marat Karabaev reported on the development of the road transport sector, as conveyed by a correspondent from the Kapital.kz business information center.
“Another crucial aspect of the regulatory framework for roads is ensuring funding. To alleviate the budget burden and ensure self-sufficiency on sections where reconstruction and repair work has been completed, the status of 'toll road' is being gradually implemented. Currently, a toll road system spanning 3,200 kilometers is operational across the country,” the minister noted.
According to the department, toll roads include the following routes: Aстана-Щучинск (211 km), Aстана-Темиртау (134 km), Алматы-Конаев (42 km), Алматы-Хоргос (295 km), Aстана-Павлодар (375 km), Конаев-Талдыкорган (186 km), Тараз-Кайнар (238 km), Шымкент-Кызылорда (447 km), Шымкент-Тараз (90 km), Шымкент-Ташкент (84 km), Щучинск-Кокшетау (61 km), Павлодар-Калбатау (453 km), Бейнеу-Акжигит (85 km), Уральск-Самара (56 km), Павлодар-Омск (198 km), Кокшетау-Петропавловск (169 km), Уральск-Саратов (99 km), Кызылорда-Аральск (455 km).
“In 2024, the revenue is projected to be 48 billion tenge. This year, an additional 4,000 kilometers of toll sections will be introduced, generating revenues of 60 billion tenge, and next year, they could reach 100 billion tenge. Furthermore, there is a consideration to allocate part of the funds collected from toll roads towards repaying interest on loans taken for construction work,” clarified Marat Karabaev.
By 2029, as per the president's directive, it is planned to reconstruct 3,000 kilometers of roads, upgrading them to the first and second categories.
“Currently, the ministry has been tasked with conducting medium repairs on 10,000 kilometers of roads. Last year, work began on 5,000 kilometers, with 1,000 kilometers already put into operation. This year, medium repairs will be carried out on the remaining 4,000 kilometers, as well as on an additional 2,600 kilometers. The total volume of medium repairs will amount to 6,600 kilometers. This approach has allowed for a threefold reduction in project implementation times and a sevenfold decrease in costs,” the minister emphasized.
He highlighted that the mentioned roads are projects aimed at connecting interregional and district roads, specifically designed to enhance the welfare of the population.
“The most extensive works are planned in the North Kazakhstan (1,358 kilometers), Akmolinsk (1,262 kilometers), and Abai (1,015 kilometers) regions. Additionally, roads that have not been repaired for 30 to 50 years, such as Petropavlovsk – Zhezkazgan (703 kilometers), Kandyagash – Shalkar (246 kilometers), Zhanaozen – Turkmenistan border (156 kilometers), Karaganda – Ayagoz – Bugaz (452 kilometers), will be fully repaired,” the Minister of Transport reported.
An important component for ensuring uninterrupted transport movement is the regulatory maintenance of roads.
“In recent years, the fleet of road machinery has been significantly updated. However, due to the expiration of service life, outdated equipment is also being phased out. From 2023 to 2024, 525 units of special machinery have been acquired, and this year, an additional 470 units are planned for purchase. Taking into account acquisitions and decommissioning, the fleet for road maintenance will reach 2,838 units. Work in this direction will continue on an ongoing basis,” he promised.
It should be noted that in July 2024, the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan proposed to increase toll road rates by 20%, justifying the initiative by stating that maintaining 25,000 kilometers of roads requires 80 billion tenge.
The First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar stated that there are insufficient funds for the regulatory maintenance of roads spanning 95,000 kilometers in the country.