Two tunnels of the Almaty metro have been connected today to link two future stations of Abai and Baikonur with the event signifying the accomplishment of the most difficult metro construction phase – the building of tunnels through which the metro trains will be running.

Akhmetzhan Yesimov, Mayor of Almaty
“Yesterday, when I was talking to the president he asked me to thank you for your work and to congratulate you on such an event. The amount of money allocated for these projects is being used with 23.3 billion tenge having been allotted for this purpose this year. It is a large event. Meanwhile, the head of state set us the task to accomplish the metro construction next year and to put it into effect”.

The two main tunnels were constructed by two units. Now, the last stage is finally finished as the two brigades of metro constructors met in the middle of the first line of the future metro of Almaty which is expected to be 8.5 kilometres in length.

Murat Ukshebayev, general director, Almaty metro construction company JSC
“The next phase includes the equipping of the metro with trains, escalators, decoration and installation of all engineering mains and fire alarms. We now have to complete all this work before the end of next year”.

The first train is expected to run through the tunnels of the Almaty metro at the beginning of 2010 with the first line to include 7 stations, meanwhile, Almaty metro is considered as one of the safest undergrounds in the whole CIS.