Aktobe resident Yuri Kulikov moves around the city exclusively by bicycle. Several years ago, he personally raised the issue of the need to build bicycle paths in Aktobe. In 2021, his proposal was supported by the then akim of the city Askhat Shakharov (the current akim of the Aktobe region – Note). In the same year, according to Yuri, one billion 300 million tenge were allocated from the budget for the implementation of the project. But the activist did not expect that in reality it would not turn out the way he wanted.
“Last November, the paths were laid, there was already snow. I was indignant: “Guys, why do this in winter if you can put it off until spring?” As the contractor told me, he needs to use the amount that was allocated to him that year, regardless of the weather conditions. conditions. The next year, the coating showed defects. Either the path began to crumble, or sank somewhere. A whole year passed. In the spring, we met with the contractor at the akimat, where he promised to eliminate all these problems. He promised to replace about three hundred meters. But in reality About 30 meters he just changed the concrete, the rest he just painted. But the asphalt kept crumbling and crumbling,” says cycling activist Yuri Kulikov.
The cyclist also has big complaints about the quality of painting of bike paths. In many places they have already lost their color due to dust and dirt.
“In the spring, the ambassador from the Netherlands came to us, I took him for a bike ride along our paths. As a diplomat, of course, he could not speak out. We understood his reaction from his facial expressions… And he was surprised when he found out that our bike path they paint it in spring and autumn. He made the remark that they simply make it from red asphalt once and for all,” says the Aktobe cyclist.
Yuri Kulikov understands that Aktobe will not have the same bike paths as in the Netherlands, but he wonders why money is spent so carelessly in his city.
“This is some kind of spit in our face! A billion 300 million tenge. With this money we could have done at least less, but everything would be of high quality. They promised to ring the city. Make Zhilgorodok, Batys, the eighth, eleventh, twelfth microdistricts, so that this would be the whole chain is like that. But this goal simply went towards Zhanakonys (a suburban village near Aktobe – approx.), – says the cycling activist.
The akimat reported that the construction of bicycle paths is being carried out by an Almaty company. The work is scheduled to be completed next year. According to local officials, the contractor has already spent more than half of the allocated amount.
“The contractor, he has work experience. This is an Almaty company. In 2021, 1.5 kilometers were built. In 2022 – 8.5 kilometers, this year the construction of bicycle paths is in full swing. To date, 24,000 square meters have been built “. This is approximately 6.5 kilometers. The amount of the contract is 1 billion 300 million tenge. To date, about 800 million have been disbursed,” answered the head of the sector of the department of housing and communal services, passenger transport and highways, Serik Dauletov.
