Residents of Almaty are again expressing dissatisfaction over the covering of aryks (open irrigation channels). This time, the cause is a renovated sidewalk at the intersection of Dzhandosov and Gagarin streets, where storm drain grates have been installed above the natural slope, which could lead to flooding during rain, reports infohub.kz.
In a published video, a man questions whether the grates over the open aryk will function as storm drainage if they are positioned higher than the sidewalk level. There is a high probability that during rain, part of the water flow will end up on the bike path and then on the roadway.
In the comments, users once again remind that Almaty is a sloping city where water must be constantly drained. Moreover, the storm sewer system constantly gets clogged, but cleaning an open aryk requires a person with a shovel, while a covered one requires machinery, pumps, several workers, and substantial funding.
Recall that in early July, public figure Tatyana Begaikina launched a petition demanding a moratorium on covering aryks with concrete slabs. As Kursiv LifeStyle was told by the Almaty Urban Public Spaces Development Department (UROPD) in response to a request, department staff met with activists who signed the petition.
"Based on the review of residents' proposals and assessment of technical capabilities, alternative design solutions are being adopted for certain sections of the aryk network," the response states.
The activist indeed said that part of the aryk network was reopened after meetings with Almaty residents. However, when our publication asked which streets would have aryks reopened, the department did not answer.
Earlier, Kursiv LifeStyle reported on how the Almaty akimat justified the covering of aryks.