Roman Sklyar on traffic jams during EXPO: We need to cope

ASTANA. KAZINFORM Roman Sklyar, the Deputy Minister for Investment and Development of Kazakhstan, commented on the possible traffic load on the roads of Astana during the EXPO, Kazinform correspondent reports.

He did not deny the poor efficiency of Astana's road network.

"It is clear that we, the residents, will be somewhat uncomfortable, but we need to get through this, we need cope. It's like welcoming guests at home in a three-room apartment when two rooms you give to the guests. I think these difficulties are temporary," he said, answering journalists' questions about the influx of tourists to Astana.

Sklyar stressed that the Ministry together with the akimat will consider each situation separately.

"The Akimat is planning for the roads reconstruction. It is common knowledge that the existing road network is very different from the one that we had 8 or 10 years ago. And we completely forgot that when Turan Avenue wasn't built yet, we had to take Kabanbai Batyr Street to get to the airport. And back then we thought if we build Turan Avenue, there will be no traffic on these streets at all.

Today Turan, Kabanbai Batyr, and Orynbor (Mangilik Yel) are loaded. There is a new exit to the airport, which has significantly reduced traffic on this junction. The capital's transport development strategy is carried out in accordance with the budget, but it is going quite efficiently. Our Ministry allocates targeted transfers for the city of Astana, and the local budget finances them. The road network will be put in order as much as possible for the EXPO," the Deputy Minister added.