From bazaars to markets

First Vice Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev visited the Altyn Orda and Kenzhehan markets in Almaty and discussed with their owners the issues of modernization of retail spaces.
The first object of the visit was the largest shopping market of the republic "Altyn Orda", where an extended meeting was held with the participation of a mobile group established on the territory of the market and the administration of the market.
The participants of the meeting discussed a range of issues related to the elimination of previously identified violations on the market territory, modernization, attracting farmers to free allocated trading places and others.
According to Alexander Nedogarko, a representative of the Altyn Orda market, air conditioners have already been installed in the market pavilions, stable high-speed Internet is provided, parking and parking lines will be marked up by the end of August to streamline car traffic and combat congestion. In the near future, surveillance cameras will be installed throughout the market.
"Every market controller has a cash register on hand. We conducted a briefing with the staff, explained that all financial transactions in the market are now officially held. A cash register was also installed at the entrance, and we will soon replace it with an electronic barrier. This will also simplify the work. We have fixed prices for all market services that are approved by the administration. This information is posted on information stands, and any visitor or tenant can call our call center and report illegal fees. We are doing everything to work "in white". Now we are gradually eliminating the previously identified comments and are ready to continue working in this direction together with government agencies," Alexander Nedogarko assured.
Today, the construction of the third pavilion is underway on the market, which is planned to be completed in early 2025. According to Alexander Nedogarko, work on the construction of the fourth pavilion will begin at the end of this year, the construction of modern cross-docks will start in parallel, the main task of which is the prompt delivery and storage of goods.
Summing up what he saw at the Altyn Orda market, Arman Shakkaliyev said that he sees the dynamics of the execution of government orders related to the openness and transparency of the market.
"We see that comments are being eliminated in the market. The mobile group must function until all violations are completely eliminated. Akimat of Almaty region needs to keep the work of the mobile group under daily control. Moreover, it is necessary to intensify work to attract farmers who have been provided with 100 places in the market," the First Vice Minister instructed.
The next trip took place to the Kenzhehan market.
"They say that the modernization of markets began 10 years ago, but facts such as the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the current difficult geopolitical situation and others are not fully taken into account. Our market is in the roadmap, but we are behind schedule today. We are ready to modernize the market, but the Akimat has not yet agreed on a draft project for us," said Sergey Kim, General Director of Kenzhehan LLP.
The First Vice Minister assured that in the process of modernization of markets, the interests of owners and market realities are necessarily taken into account.
"There is a developed roadmap until 2025, which contains all the details of the process of modernization of markets, from the development of design estimates to the completion of work on each market, in the context of each region. The implementation of the roadmap will be constantly monitored by the Government. Moreover, there is a working group under the Akimat of Almaty to review and resolve problematic issues of the Almaty trade markets, which should take all necessary measures to implement the Roadmap," Arman Shakkaliyev said.