Construction of Astana-TITR motorway to start in 2025 - Kazakh PM

ALMATY. March 17 (Interfax) - Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has ordered the republic's transport ministry to start construction of a new motorway from Astana to the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) in 2025, the government's press service reported.

Bektenov gave the order on Monday at a meeting devoted to the implementation of the president's instructions announced at the fourth meeting of the National Kurultai.

"The head of state instructed the government to begin construction of a new motorway from Astana through the Turgai region with access to the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. The Ministry of Transport must immediately update the previously prepared Feasibility Study and Design Estimate Documentation, identify sources of financing and start construction this year," Bektenov is quoted as saying in the statement.

As previously reported, on March 14 Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered the start of construction of a motorway from Astana via Arkalyk, Turgai and Irgiz with direct access to the TITR. He said the new motorway would shorten the distance between the central and western regions of the country by 560 kilometers.

The TITR is an international transport corridor running through China, Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and on to Turkey and European countries.