700 km of “Western Europe – Western China” highway to be built in 2012
"Completion of the Kazakhstan section of the road bears a high priority in the process of implementation of the project. It is a really people's construction of the century. We have to finish our part the next year," President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev said in his Address to the Nation "Socio-economic modernization - main direction of development of Kazakhstan".
According to the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the works are now held on 34 sections, 1621 km of length. 21 general contractor and 66 subcontractor organizations are involved in the construction process. 700 km of the road are planned to be ready at the end of this year.
Besides, it is also planned to start works on 448 km of the road by the yearend.
It should be noted that construction of the highway has some significant social impact. This international transit corridor creates conditions for development of small and medium business, service industry, tourism, industrial and agricultural activity which will ensure creation of additional jobs.
Thus, more than 35 thousand people are currently involved in the construction process. 34.4 thousand people of them are Kazakhstanis and 579 people are foreigners.
In accordance with the information of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kazakhstan, 1391 km long section of the road is now planned to be the 1st technical category road with four driving lanes - from Khorgos near the border with China to Kyzylorda town, 1062 km long section from Kyzylorda to Martuk village will become the 2nd technical category road. 1079 km long section of the full length of the highway from Khorgos to Turkestan will be built with cement concrete surface.
The full length of this international corridor makes 8445 km, the length of the highway run in the territory of Kazakhstan makes 2787 km and 2452 km are subject to reconstruction.
In whole, construction of international corridor "Western Europe - Western China" will allow to increase transit and export potential of Kazakhstan, open new trade opportunities in the conditions of active integration processes on the Eurasian continent.