On April 28, construction started on the Astana Light Rail Depot project undertaken by China Construction Bridge, a centrally-administered state-owned enterprise based in Chongqing.

It is understood that the Astana Light Rail project in Kazakhstan is the first urban light rail line in Central Asia and also the first rail transit project in Central Asia to fully adopt Chinese standards.

The light rail route connects landmark buildings and key functional areas such as the international airport, Nazarbayev University, the Expo Park, the Central Concert Hall, and the National Museum.

The project is 22 kilometers long and has 18 stations and 1 depot. China Construction Bridge, a centrally-administered state-owned enterprise based in Chongqing, undertook the construction of 9 stations, 5 sections, and 1 depot. The depot project is located on the north side of the international airport at the starting point of the light rail, covering an area of about 16.2 hectares. The buildings in the depot mainly include the stabling yard, the joint inspection and repair workshop, the shunting locomotive shed, the engineering vehicle shed, the comprehensive maintenance building, the general materials warehouse, the boiler room, the combined substation, the air compressor station, the sewage treatment station, the flammable materials warehouse, the guard room, the garbage station, and the control center building.

According to the introduction, after the light rail is completed and opened to traffic, the commuting time between the two ends of the line can be shortened by nearly half. It will become the most technically representative urban rail transit project in Kazakhstan and even Central Asia, promote the renewal and upgrading of local transportation infrastructure, and greatly improve the transportation efficiency of Astana residents.