Kazakh President Orders Acceleration of Almaty LRT and SkyTrain Projects

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has instructed the city administration of Almaty to expedite the implementation of key infrastructure projects, including a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system and a SkyTrain. The directive followed a meeting with the city's mayor, during which Tokayev was briefed on the region's socio-economic development.

The mayor reported strong economic performance for Almaty, with growth reaching 6.5 percent in 2025. For the first two months of the current year, a short-term economic indicator showed an increase of 9.4 percent. This growth is primarily driven by industry, construction, transport, and trade sectors.

The city's investment portfolio now exceeds 2.8 trillion tenge. Major industrial zones are nearly fully occupied, prompting expansion plans to attract new projects. Almaty continues to lead the nation in the IT sector and is developing an artificial intelligence hub known as Almaty AI Park.

Tourism development remains a priority, with modernization work on the Shymbulak ski resort set to begin this year alongside development in adjacent mountain gorges. These projects are aligned with preparations for hosting the Winter Asian Games in 2029.

In transportation, authorities are prioritizing public transit expansion through Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) networks and subway construction. The president specifically called for accelerated work on establishing both the LRT and SkyTrain systems to improve urban mobility.

Other focal areas include modernizing utility infrastructure and water supply systems, as well as advancing environmental initiatives aimed at upgrading heating sources and reducing emissions.