Kazakhstan to develop transport infrastructure by introducing toll roads

Funds from the Kazakh state budget for the development of roads of national significance are allocated every year. However, in January-November 2018, expenditures on the development of motorways amounted to 152 billion tenge, 23.3% less than a year earlier. The maximum value was recorded in 2016 at 287.1 billion tenge. From 2016 to 2018, negative growth is observed, during this period expenses decreased by 47.1%.

Meanwhile, the income from tax revenues on vehicles increases annually. In January-November 2018, the number of revenues reached its maximum over the past 5 years, amounting to 67.2 billion tenge. In the same period of 2017, transport taxes amounted to 60 billion tenge, with an annual growth of 27.9%.

In addition to the free roads of national significance, only one paid highway, Astana-Schuchinsk, 211 km long, operated by KazAvtoZhol, the national operator for the management of roads of Kazakhstan, has been operating in the country since 2013. The Astana-Schuchinsk autobahn is a paid section of the Astana-Petropavlovsk highway. The fare for the local passenger transport is 100 tg, for transit is 200 tg.

According to the Committee for Roads of the Ministry of Investments and Development, for 2018, fees from traveling on the Astana-Schuchinsk highway amounted to 1.5 billion tenge, or 1.7% more than a year earlier. This indicator is the maximum for the last 5 years. All funds raised by KazAvtoZhol will be directed to the maintenance and development of the toll road section.

On January 26, 2019, a toll system was launched on the Astana-Temirtau (134 km), Almaty-Kapshagai (42 km) and Almaty-Khorgos (295 km) sections. The prepaid fares for passenger cars were distributed as follows: 200 tg for Astana-Temirtau, or 400 tg in cash; 100 tg for Almaty-Kapshagay, or 200 tg in cash; 300 tg for Almaty-Khorgos, or 600 tg in cash. For buses with up to 16 seats and trucks with a carrying capacity of up to 2.5 tonnes, charges in these areas will be 700, 200 and 1500 tonnes respectively.

The management of toll roads of republican significance or their sections, as well as the collection of tolls on toll motorways, is carried out by KazAvtozhol. According to the Development Plan for 2018–2022, KazAvtoZhol plans by the end of 2022 to allocate 490 billion tenge for the development of republican roads for the entire period, the share of toll roads will be 72%, the number of tolls on toll roads will reach 82.3 billion tg, the length of toll roads should increase to 15.8 thousand km. The increase in the number of fees may be affected by the system of payment for toll sections on toll road sections in Astana-Temirtau, Almaty-Kapshagay and Almaty-Khorgos directions.

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