Residents of a private housing estate near the Chechek Pass in Ust-Kamenogorsk have built their own bridge across an irrigation ditch, which had been a problem area for many years. The crossing can now be used by both cars and goods vehicles.
According to Ustinka.kz, the initiative was started by a local resident, Kydyrgazy Baimuratov — an Afghan war veteran and former officer who, after his service, was given a plot for individual housing construction in a developing microdistrict.
According to him, the area lacked basic amenities for many years: there were no roads, lighting, or a centralised water supply.
The residents elected Baimuratov as the head of the neighbourhood, after which he joined the Public Council and a branch of the Centre for Territorial Management. He said that he regularly sent appeals to the akimat regarding infrastructure issues. However, the matter of building a bridge across the irrigation ditch remained unresolved for a long time.
Due to the marshy area, the section had to be bypassed, adding roughly five kilometres to the route.
Last year, a group of residents took the initiative to carry out the work themselves. According to Baimuratov, they raised around 600,000 tenge, purchased concrete slabs and foundation blocks, and installed the structure for cars to pass, using their own equipment.
All the work was carried out by local residents using the "asar" method — collective participation.
For reference: asar is an ancient Kazakh custom whereby people gather together to sincerely and voluntarily perform work that is beyond the capacity of a single person or family.
This year, local residents reinforced the bridge, as drivers of goods vehicles delivering goods to the local shop had started using the crossing. With the funds raised, residents purchased additional materials, laid new slabs, and strengthened the surface. The cost of the work came to around 880,000 tenge.