OREANDA-NEWS. May 25, 2010. First Vice Prime Minister emphasized that it will be a grand-scale construction project. The corridor is to be completed in three years.

West Europe – West China transcontinental motor corridor is a unique project, told First Vice Prime Minister Umirzak Shukeev of Kazakhstan, when closing his working visit to Zhambyl oblast (Southern Kazakhstan).

He noted that the project is being closely monitored by President Nursultan Nazarbayev himself and that all the works are in line with the schedule.

“The motor way exceeds 8000 kilometers, with over 2 000 kilometers running across Kazakhstan’s territory. The construction works are to be carried out in five Kazkahstan’s oblasts. They are under way in Zhambyl, Kyzylorda and Aktyubinsk oblasts currently and are to be launched in Southern Kazakhstan and Almaty oblasts shortly. The project involves 12000 workers and 3000 vehicles. By September – when the works are in full swing – about 50000 workers will be involved along with 10000 vehicles”.

First Vice Prime Minister emphasized that it will be a grand-scale construction project. The corridor is to be completed in three years.

The state budget for 2010-2012 envisages KZT 499 billion to implement the project, with KZT 119.2 billion being earmarked this year.

In 2009 Kazakhstan signed loan agreements totally worth USD 3 billion with four financial institutions; in the Q2 further loan agreements are to be signed with Asian Development Bank (USD 173 million), Islamic Development Bank (USD 224 million) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) (USD 68.3 million).