Asphalt on Kazakhstan's national highways can be laid even in late autumn and at temperatures below +10 degrees. KazAvtoZhol said such repairs are permitted by technology: special additives are used in cold weather, and the work continues according to the approved schedule, the website infohub.kz reports.
Darhan Imanashev, chairman of the board of JSC NC KazAvtoZhol, responded to a question about road repairs in cold weather at a government briefing.
A journalist drew attention to social media reports that contractors allegedly deliberately delay asphalt paving until late autumn. As a result, after winter the surface may deteriorate and the road has to be repaired again.
The head of KazAvtoZhol disagreed with this framing. According to him, repairs on national highways begin with the start of the construction season: in some regions in April, in others in May.
"This is not connected to autumn or summer. As soon as our construction season begins, in some regions in April, in some regions in May, and from that moment until late autumn the work continues if necessary, if there is a corresponding schedule," the company head said.
He also explained that when temperatures drop, road workers use appropriate additives that maintain the temperature regime of a given asphalt concrete.
Earlier, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov threatened to dismiss Darhan Imanashev, chairman of the board of KazAvtoZhol, over road quality.
"Many problematic issues remain unresolved, and you did not mention them. All the shortcomings noted by the president directly relate to your work as well. Therefore, it is necessary to improve road quality. Work, or other people will work on this issue," Bektenov threatened.
In turn, Darhan Imanashev said that by the end of this year, as part of the implementation of road projects, it is planned to complete repairs and commission over 2,000 km of national highways (70 projects in total).