Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev today
officially launched the construction of three highways during a teleconference.
The projects include the Kyzylorda–Saksaulsk, Ulgaissyn–Saksaulsk, and
Beineu–Saksaulsk highways. The Beineu–Saksaulsk highway will span 800
kilometers. According to the President, the route is expected to become a key
international transport artery.
«While strengthening connectivity within Kazakhstan, the
highway will also serve as a «golden bridge» between China and Europe. The project will directly
connect border checkpoints with China to the ports of Aktau and Kuryk. As a
result, the freight route from China to Europe will be shortened by 1,000
kilometers, while delivery times will be reduced to three days. The
Beineu-Saksaulsk highway will undoubtedly become a key transport artery of
national, regional, and transcontinental significance. Therefore, the name
«Aral-Caspian Highway» is particularly fitting for this route,» Tokayev said.
The Head of State instructed that all three projects be completed no later
than 2029. Once the highways are operational, freight traffic is expected to
increase 2.5-fold, surpassing 13 million tonnes annually. The
total volume of freight transported in the country grew by six percent last
year, reaching about 37 million tonnes. Revenue from road freight transport
alone totaled 1.5 trillion tenge. With revenues from road transport now nearly
matching those of rail, this marks another step toward transforming Kazakhstan
into one of the leading transit and logistics hubs linking Europe and Asia.
«Therefore,
the key objective is not simply to build roads, but to create a modern digital
ecosystem. The adoption of a national program to support domestic
freight carriers, involving the local automotive industry, will significantly
strengthen the country’s existing potential. These measures will expand
Kazakhstan’s transit capacity. These lifeline highways across the undeveloped
steppes of the Aral region will turn once dead-end routes into key junctions
along Eurasia’s major transport corridors,» Tokayev
added.
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