Bauyrjan Baibek

On 31 October 2015, tram traffic was closed in Almaty due to the results of the inspection, which revealed numerous irregularities and inconsistencies: there were gaps of up to 50 mm at all assembly joints, rail wear was up to 2–2.5 cm, wooden sleepers were rotten. Due to the condition of the tram tracks, wheel sets of wagons were heavily worn out. In 2014, there were 20 facts of the derailment of cars. Up until September 2015, there were 43 derailments. In 2017, the dismantling of tram tracks began.[3]

On 11 January 2016, the public transport system "Onai" was introduced, which was non-cash fare system.[4] The system deduced unaccounted cash from the shadow turnover. In September 2016, the cash payment of Almaty residents for a month amounted to 256 million tenge, with cards to only 0.8 billion tenge. In September 2017, the monthly cash income was 91 million tenge, and through the Onai card, 1.5 billion tenge. 800 million tenge were withdrawn from the shadow turnover in one month.[5]

Under the leadership of Baibek, public transport was updated by 80%, almost 1300 new buses were purchased.[6] In January 2016, 70% of the state-owned company “Almatyelektrotrans” was transferred to a private investor Green Bus Company LLP for 5 years in trust without the right to subsequent redemption.[7]

In September 2018, the first BRT line in the country was launched on Timiryazev Street, at peak hours, the speed of buses along the line was 3 times higher than cars. Already in the first 10 days of operation, passenger flow increased by 40% from 100,000 to 140,000 people.

After speed reduction on Al-Farabi Avenue from 80 to 60 km, the number of accidents decreased by 2.7 times. On the one-sided Kurmangazy street, the number of accidents decreased by 41%, and on Shevchenko street was 4 times.[8]

For several years, work was underway to reconstruct the central streets of the city for pedestrians.[9] One of the main objects of change was Panfilov Street, which became a pedestrian street from Zhibek Zholy Street to Qabanbai Batyr Street.[10]

Under Baibek, more than 600 streets and almost 1,600 courtyards of Almaty were repaired, where modern children's and sports grounds, surveillance cameras, and courtyard lighting appeared. 30% of street lighting was converted to energy-saving LED lighting. 300 km of irrigation ditches and 2000 km of engineering networks were also repaired and built. Almost 3000 illegal kiosks were demolished in the city.

Baubek announced the City Without Fences program, in which 150 km of fences were dismantled. Many organizations planted bushes and trees as a replacement.[11]

In October 2015, the building of the former General Plan on Jeltoqsan Street was demolished. Members of the Defend Almaty initiative group gathered near the building, claiming that work was being carried out illegally, but the city planning council issued all the necessary permits.[12] In October 2015, with the approval of the Town Planning Council, the Alatau Cinema building, built in 1960, was demolished for the construction of McDonald's. Social media users organized a flash mob against the demolition of the building. In response to the controversies, Baibek stated that for 20 years the cinema was empty, and it did not represent historical value, since it was made of alucobond.[13]

A project for preventive monitoring of mudflow hazard was developed. Seismic amplification of 65% of educational facilities and 53% of healthcare was carried out. To protect against mudflows, the Mynjylky Dam was reconstructed, 9 of the most breakthrough moraine lakes were emptied. 9 rivers canals were reconstructed. Protective structures strengthened the slopes at HES-1 - BAO and Medeu - Shymbulak.[14]

For the first time in the city, the “Participation Budget” project was implemented where a part of the city budget is distributed by the citizens themselves.[15]

In a few years, 11 schools and more than 540 public and private kindergartens were opened, and 12 hospitals and clinics were commissioned. Within the framework of the project “Baityt Obybasy”, the payment for kindergartens was halved, and a large number of private kindergartens were opened. As a result of this work, more than 20 thousand children were enrolled in kindergartens.[11]

From 2015, Almaty schools, colleges, hospitals and KSK began to publish their reports on financial activities.[16]

In February 2019, a simplified mortgage lending program was launched for large families.[11]

While Baibek was akim, many medical centers were sold into private ownership. The privatization plan of these and other facilities in the country was previously approved by the Decree of the Government of Kazakhstan from 30 December 2015 No. 1141 “On some issues of privatization for 2016-2020”.[17]

In May 2017, environmental activists of the “Defend Almaty” and “Defend Kokkailau” groups gave the Akim a gift-installation “Death of Almaty”, which, according to the authors of the present, symbolizes the concern of the townspeople about the activities of the city akim.[18] That same month, the appeal of a public figure Denis Krivosheev to Baibek was published.