Construction - The Times Of Central Asia

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Infrastructure Development

New Road Promised for Kyrgyzstan’s Highest Village

The Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan has announced a tender for the construction of a road to Kyrgyzstan's highest village of Zardaly in the Batken oblast. Authorities have set aside 389 million KGS ($4.5 million) for the construction of the 4.2 kilometer road and according to published data, bids will be accepted until October 22 this year. The village of Zardaly is located in the highlands on Kyrgyzstan's border with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. At present, only one narrow, stony road leads to the settlement, accessible only between May to October. With the onset of cold weather, snow makes it impossible to get to the village, and residents are cut off from the outside world. It should be noted that Zardaly lacks cellular communication, the recently installed internet only serves the local school, and there are significant problems with electricity. As a local proverb says, “If there is no urgent business - do not enter Zardaly." On the day prior to the announcement of the tender, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov visited Zardaly by helicopter. Whilst there, he promised residents that a highway would be built in the village in spring 2025, after which electricity would be supplied. He also instructed the presidential administration to solve the issue of cellular communications in the region. In earlier complaints about the situation in the village, Kyrgyzstan's ombudsman said that although Zardaly became a village in 2016, residents still require help accessing medical services and quality education.

Infrastructure Development

Turkmenistan to Build New High-Speed Highway

The private company "Ojar Asia" has signed a contract with the Eurasian representative office of China's Sino Hydro Bureau 12 Co. Ltd., for the parties to jointly build the Serakhs-Mary-Serkhetabat highway in Turkmenistan. This road will have a length of about 450 kilometers. The highway will be an important element of the country's transport infrastructure, and will improve conditions for foreign trade, including the export of Turkmenistan's natural resources. More than $2 billion in investment from Sino Hydro Bureau will finance it, and Ojar Asia will lead the construction. Turkmenistan is developing road infrastructure to improve transportation links and stimulate its economy. Road projects are strategically important as the country plans to integrate the new highways into international East-West and North-South transportation corridors. This helps increase transit transportation and natural resource exports, which are vital in diversifying an economy traditionally dependent on hydrocarbon exports.

Construction

Turkish Contractors Implement New Large-Scale Projects in Turkmenistan

The Turkish Ministry of Trade has reported that construction projects valued at $53.3 billion are being implemented in Turkmenistan; signifying Turkey's significant presence in this sector of the country. By comparison, the total value of projects implemented by Turkish contractors in Russia amounted to $102.3 billion, making it the largest market for the Turkish sector, whilst in Kazakhstan, its market share is $29.5 billion. Statistics show that 13.9% of all realized foreign projects are related to the construction of highways, tunnels, and bridges, while 13.8% are for housing; 8.6% for power plants; 7.1% for shopping centers; and 6.6% for airports. In 2024, Turkish contracting companies completed 148 projects abroad worth $11.2 billion, while 433 international projects totaling $28.1 billion were completed last year. The average value of projects increased from $64.9 million in 2023 to $75.7 million in 2024. Following a meeting on September 2, between the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Chairman of the Board of Erman Ilydjak, a new shopping center will be built in Ashgabat by Turkish company Rönesans Holding.

Industry

Kyrgyzstan Lacks Cement Amid Booming Construction

Kyrgyzstan is experiencing a cement shortage as new high-rise residential buildings and thousands of one- and two-story houses are being erected nationwide. This booming construction requires a large amount of cement, which has caused huge demand for the product. Local media quoted Syrgak Omorov, a representative of the Anti-monopoly Regulation Service, as saying that domestic producers are not capable of meeting the growing need. The Kant cement plant, the country’s largest cement producer, typically produces 600,000 tons of cement annually, but this year the production volume has already exceeded a million tons. According to Omorov, the Kant cement plant can produce up to 4,000 tons daily, but market demand is 5,000 tons. The official attributes the shortage to the unprecedented scale construction of housing and social facilities, such as schools. Earlier this month, the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, Akylbek Japarov, announced that the number of new schools and residential buildings constructed in Kyrgyzstan has exceeded Soviet-era figures. Japarov cited data from the National Statistical Committee, saying that 1.560 million square meters of residential housing were built in Kyrgyzstan when it was part of the Soviet Union in 1990. In 2023, independent Kyrgyzstan constructed 1.587 million square meters of housing. The highest numbers of secondary schools were built in 1968 and 1987 — 50 in each of those years, while in 2023, Kyrgyzstan built 105 new schools. Last week, TCA reported that Kyrgyzstan is also suffering from a shortage of laborers, with the head of the construction agency in the Kyrgyz Republic stating that the construction industry alone urgently needs at least 10,000 workers.

Construction Transport Economy Social

Kazakhstan’s First Automobile Tunnel and Largest Bridge to be Completed this Year

As reported by the Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport, Kazakhstan's first automobile tunnel through the Shakpak Baba Pass and the country's largest bridge over the Bukhtarma Reservoir are due for completion by the end of this year. All concrete work has been completed and an asphalt road laid in the Shakpak Baba road tunnel. Lighting has been installed and work is now underway to install video surveillance, lay gas pipes, ventilation, and firefighting equipment. Development of the country's longest bridge is likewise on schedule. Around 81% of the bridge supports has been erected and 17 of the 21 piers have been built. Regarding progress on both of the ambitious projects, Transport Minister Marat Karabayev announced, "We plan to complete the construction of the country's first automobile tunnel through the Shakpak Baba Pass by the end of this year. Additionally, we aim to complete the construction of the largest bridge in Kazakhstan over the Bukhtarma Reservoir. The total length of the two-lane road bridge across the Bukhtarma reservoir near the village of Kuigan in East Kazakhstan region will be 1,316 meters."

Construction Sports

Kyrgyz Football Gets Boost as Construction Starts on New Stadium

Kyrgyzstan is building a 45,000-seat stadium designed to host Asian Football Confederation finals as well as FIFA group matches. This week, President Sadyr Japarov announced that construction on the new stadium near Bishkek had begun and would take two years. Local and Turkish architects and engineers are involved, and there are also several advisers from Britain, he said. The shape of the stadium will aim to evoke a yurt, a circular tent that was a staple of nomadic life in Central Asia for millennia. Last year, FIFA President Gianni Infantino urged Kyrgyzstan to build a new football stadium to help develop the sport there. Kyrgyzstan’s national team does not have its own dedicated stadium. Currently, it plays matches at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek. The facility, which can hold about 23,000 spectators, is also used by two local clubs.