In Temirtau, the completion of the central square reconstruction has been pushed back to 2027, and the protracted repairs are drawing complaints from residents and local entrepreneurs, infohub.kz reports.
The central square of Temirtau, which was supposed to be renovated this year, will remain a construction site next season as well. The work has dragged on because worn-out heating and water supply networks need to be replaced.
Activists and ordinary residents are outraged. They demand that the utilities be fixed first, and only then that landscaping work begin.
The square at the entrance to Temirtau is one of the calling cards of the steelworkers' city. It is home to major social and retail facilities, which makes the pedestrian area very popular with locals.
Repairs began on the square, but it later emerged that the underground pipes were worn out and in urgent need of replacement. As a result, the landscaping work was halted, and residents are the ones suffering.
"July, August — everything just came to a standstill, and now we find out it's all because of the pipes. If you know everything is about to be dug up, then allocate the money. Why these timelines? Nothing was done for two months?! People are literally breaking their legs here. Everything is blocked off. I drive myself — it's simply impossible. I've seen accidents," says Temirtau resident Tatyana Luzanova.
Beyond the exhausting detours and traffic jams, people face other inconveniences as well. In particular, it has become harder to reach some facilities. Business owners complain that the road closures have cost them customers and revenue.
"The road was closed, and no work was done either by the contractor that was handling the road landscaping or by the utility service that was laying the water supply. Our store, during that time, you could say we were running at almost zero," says entrepreneur Irina Izroda-Tinkova.
Officials at the akimat say that repairing the heating and water networks is, of course, the top priority. They assure that they are not happy about the protracted work either. But most of it is already complete, and officials promise that next summer residents will be able to drive and stroll around the renovated square.
"What remains now are sections — the small architectural forms, the laying of paving stones on the boulevard part in the center. It is being pushed back to 2027. Roughly, we think the work will be finished by the end of May," stresses Adina Iskakova, head of the sector at Temirtau's department of housing and communal services, passenger transport and roads.
In addition to new road surface and paving stones, the square will get benches, lighting and various architectural features. Trees and shrubs will also be planted there.
All in all, it will be beautiful, but very late, residents lament.