Residents of Almaty are reporting widespread disruptions to public transport, with only a few buses operating and most stuck at gas stations. The issue is blamed on a technical malfunction at several gas filling stations across the city, reports Kursiv LifeStyle.
On the morning of July 29, social media users reported a long queue of buses lining up on Zharokova Street at an automobile gas filling station (AGZS). Witnesses said the buses occupied an entire lane. The situation is worsened by sidewalk repairs that have closed part of the roadway.
Similar queues of ten or more buses were seen on Raiymbek Avenue. Commuters complained of waiting 30–40 minutes for a bus. Some attributed the delays to a gas shortage, others to roadworks and traffic jams.
Later, the Kazakhstan Bus Community stated that the disruptions were caused by a technical glitch at several automobile gas filling compressor stations (AGNKS) in Almaty. “On many gas-powered routes across the city, the planned number of operating buses has significantly decreased. On some routes, only four to eight buses remain in service. The intervals between buses have temporarily increased,” the statement said.
Kazakhstan Bus Community added that technicians are already fixing the issue to restore normal bus schedules.