OREANDA-NEWS. On 04 May 2008 was announced, that Kazakh government will seek investors to build or maintain 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) of roads at a projected cost of US \\$4.5 billion in exchange for operating concessions.

Construction of five toll roads may begin as early as Jan. 1.

Kazakhstan, which borders Russia, China and the Caspian Sea, is the world's ninth-biggest country by territory, covering 2.7 million square kilometers (about 1 million square miles). Its US \\$100 billion economy has grown an average of 10 percent a year since 2000, driven by high oil and metals prices.

One of the roads will connect Astana with regional mining center Karaganda to the southeast. Two more roads will run from financial capital Almaty to Kapchagai Lake and Khorgos on the Chinese border. The government also plans to build a ring road around Almaty, reported Kazinform.

The state may build a fifth road from Astana to the Borovoye forest in the north and seek an investor to maintain the road in exchange for operation concessions.

Annual revenue from the roads may reach US \\$249 million, with the charge to travel one kilometer ranging from US\\$ 0.03 for cars to US\\$ 0.08 for buses, said press release.

The government also plans to upgrade 2,552 kilometers of roads at a cost of US \\$ 7.463 billion to create a highway that would allow freight from Chinese manufacturers to be delivered directly to European markets. The first phase of the upgrade will cost US\\$ 6.545 billion and is scheduled for completion by 2013. A second phase will be done by 2016, said the message.

Investors from China, South Korea, Israel and Hungary have indicated interest in the upgrade project.