WPB reports that upgrading road infrastructure in the Aktobe, kazakhstan region has been seriously hindered by an ongoing shortage of good-quality bitumen. The substance used to produce asphalt is predominantly imported from Russia, but spasmodic supplies have been disrupting construction plans in certain suburban settlements.
In the village of Bauyrlastar-2, the authorities planned to pave more than forty streets as part of a 6.6 billion tenge project. Construction officially began in August 2024, but construction stopped barely a step from the beginning—only two streets were completed before construction was stopped. Contractors indicate that the Russian bitumen, which is preferred because of its longevity, has not been supplied as scheduled, while the locally produced alternative from Kazakhstan is considered substandard, losing its effectiveness within a year despite infrastructure claims of needing to last seven years.
This is Atyrau, however; the same issues have been discovered elsewhere, including Aktobe. The stagnation has created a chain reaction: asphalt plants cannot produce at full capacity without assured supplies, deadlines are constantly missed, and citizens have no good roads.
City officials admit the shortage of bitumen is a citywide issue. The funds for works were only made available mid-summer, which led to late starts to work. Prior to funds being secured and works commenced, lack of raw materials forced another hiatus. Building timelines have since passed, and the shelved project will now be rolled over to next year, with nearly forty streets unpaved.
The absence of good road accessibility has had dire consequences for Bauyrlastar-2 residents. Bauyrlastar-2 families have to travel for several kilometers just to find public transport as buses do not penetrate the settlement. Ambulances struggle to reach houses during emergencies, adding fuel to anger in the community. Citizens cite difficulties when it comes to reaching the city to receive medical care for the vulnerable, like children with disabilities.
Citizens also complain about ongoing promises that buses will arrive only after the roads are paved, which has not materialized for over half a year. Nothing has actually changed on the ground despite budgetary releases and promises of work advancement. Population growth in these settlements only heightens the sense of urgency of the problem since infrastructure lags growing demand.
Complaints are identical in neighboring Bauyrlastar-1, where villagers also wait patiently for things to get better while more than ten billion tenge have been spent to finance both villages.
The case of Aktobe illustrates the mechanisms by which weaknesses in material supply chains and slow finance can halt infrastructure projects despite budget funding. People's communities will remain caught between written plans and unfinished roads until there is assured access to durable construction materials.
By Bitumenmag
Bitumen, Road, Asphalt, Pavement
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