Kazakhstan cracks down on road defects with stricter 2025 construction rules

A recent government session addressed the modernisation of transport infrastructure to boost tourism. Officials also reviewed progress in reducing road construction defects. New regulations now prevent the commissioning of roads with unresolved issues. In 2025, stricter rules were introduced to ban the acceptance of roads with defects. Contractors must now fix all violations before a project can be approved. Quality inspections are required at every stage of construction, reconstruction, and repair.

Most defects were identified in regional and district road upgrades. Contractors bore the cost of corrections, spending 1 billion tenge in 2025. This marked a significant drop from 4.1 billion tenge in 2023 and 3.9 billion tenge in 2024. The decrease suggests better adherence to technical standards and improved workmanship. The new regulations hold contractors directly responsible for rectifying faults. Projects only receive approval after all deficiencies are resolved. The reduced rework volume points to higher compliance and better quality in road construction.