ASTANA, Kazakhstan, November 26. Kazakhstan has its sights set on boosting its transit transportation by a whopping 60 percent by the time 2029 rolls around, Trend reports.
At a government meeting in Kazakhstan, where Prime Minister Olzhas Bektanov was at the helm, the conversation turned to the nuts and bolts of the railway industry and the untapped transit potential that lies ahead.
In the thick of the meeting, Transport Minister Marat Karabaev and the Chairman of the Board of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, Nurlan Sauranbayev, laid their cards on the table with their reports.
The Ministry of Transport reported that the first 10 months of this year saw a 3.5 percent increase in freight volumes, reaching 263.4 million tons. Domestic shipments grew by 9.7 percent, totaling 156.2 million tons, while the volume of transit shipments remained at last year's level, totaling 22.4 million tons.
Over 2800 kilometers of railways have undergone repairs since last year. The renewal of rolling stock continues. Nurlan Sauranbayev, the Chairman of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, reported that they purchased 185 locomotives and 143 passenger cars this year alone. By 2028, the fleet of passenger cars will exceed 3000 units, fully meeting the country's needs.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to intensify efforts to modernize the industry. Given that about 90 percent of railway stations and station infrastructure currently require repairs, they should receive special attention.
At the end of the meeting, the government leader instructed to expedite the improvement of the Aktau port infrastructure to increase the handling of railway cargo and enhance the potential of maritime transport.
The Prime Minister of Kazakhstan considered the development of the country's digital industry during today's meeting, in addition to the railroad industry.
