Several cities in Kazakhstan could be connected by LRT

Tengrinews.kz – There are currently no plans to extend the Almaty metro to the city of Alatau. Instead, authorities are considering the development of an LRT line and other alternative transport links between the cities. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev.

During a government briefing, journalists recalled previous discussions regarding the possibility of extending one of Almaty's metro lines to Alatau and asked whether the idea remains on the agenda.

According to Bozumbayev, it is premature to speak about the construction of a metro line.

"The official population of Alatau is currently just over 50,000 people. It makes no sense to build a metro there yet", he stated.

Other options

The Vice Prime Minister explained that a different transport format is currently being considered as part of the master plan.

According to him, the development of an LRT system is envisioned between Almaty, Alatau, and Konaev. At the same time, authorities are exploring additional options.

"We are currently considering LRT, hovertrains, and so on. We are working with international experts to find the most optimal, affordable, and effective solution," Bozumbayev noted.

He emphasized that a final decision has not yet been made.

"I cannot say now whether it will be a metro or not. But as of today, there is no need to build anything," he added.

Authorities do not expect a transport collapse

When asked about the risks of transport congestion due to the growth of the new city, he stated that there are no such concerns.

According to him, the Alatau City master plan was developed with the participation of the international company Surbana Jurong. Furthermore, another international team specializing in urbanism and transport planning is now being brought onto the project.

"We will take into account all the mistakes made in other projects. Negative experience must also be considered. Therefore, we do not believe there will be a transport collapse," he concluded.

As a reminder, Askhat Saduov, General Director of the Almatygenplan Research Institute, previously reported on plans for the development of the Almaty metro. According to him, the possibility of extending the current metro line to the Barlyk station, with a subsequent connection to the Almaty-1 railway station, is being considered.

In late December, it was specified that a new metro line would connect Almaty with the city of Alatau. It was planned that two stations of the Green Line would enter the territory of the city in the Almaty region.