Social media posts on Threads have alleged that child labor is being used in the renovation of the Almaty-1 railway station. A user under the handle Karina_advokatt posted photos and videos purportedly showing children aged 10-12 working at the construction site in 40-degree heat. She also compared the station's condition to the aftermath of an earthquake, reports infohub.kz.
In response, the press service of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) stated that the station's reconstruction is carried out by a contractor, and hiring matters fall under the contractor's jurisdiction, not KTZ's. The company advises directing complaints to the contractor or relevant authorities.
Recall that in November last year, passengers already complained about the state of Almaty-1 station, calling it "like after a bombing." KTZ explained that the station is being fully modernized and made more earthquake-resistant. Later, Prime Minister Oljas Bektenov criticized akims for the slow pace of station renovations in Almaty and other cities. Almaty akim Erbolat Dossaev warned contractors of liability, and in May the government demanded faster work due to passenger inconvenience.