Daiyrbek Orunbekov, head of the Presidential Administration’s Information Policy Service, shared on social media how he visited the alternative North-South road and inspected its construction.
According to him, most sections are prone to danger, including rockfalls, avalanches, and snowdrifts.
«To ensure road safety, additional structures are being constructed, while labor-intensive work continues to clear sections prone to landslides and rockfalls. Construction of the road began in 2014, financed by loans from China and other donors (ADB, IDB). The project was rushed and poorly designed. This was due to vested interests seeking to quickly utilize approximately $1 billion in loan funds. Many people expressed interest in this large project with a billion-dollar budget, and a significant part of the funds was stolen: roughly half was earmarked for construction, while the other half was appropriated. As a result, a significant portion of the borrowed funds was misappropriated by the then-managers and officials. The funds were misused, and the quality of the work was poor,» he wrote.
«Currently, the state is forced to spend billions of additional soms to correct deficiencies and complete unfinished sections. Meanwhile, the public is demanding that the road be completed and operational as soon as possible. However, the unfinished sections remain dangerous. Despite this, there are cases of drivers making deals with traffic police and using bribes to pass,» he noted.
Orunbekov added that, in response to public complaints, a decision was made to temporarily reopen the road from June to November of this year.
«However, a number of sections remain at risk of rockfalls and landslides, posing a threat to human life. In late autumn, starting in November, the road will be closed again until May 2027. Construction is scheduled to be fully completed and user safety ensured by 2028. By then, all deficiencies will be corrected and hazardous areas reinforced. Criminal cases were previously opened for embezzlement, and legal proceedings are ongoing,» the head of the service concluded.
