Astana studies Baku's experience in renovating panel houses

Baku has become a model for many post-Soviet countries in the renovation of Soviet-era panel apartment buildings and the improvement of residential neighborhoods, Deputy Director of the Astana Urban Planning Center Daniyar Chindaliyev told Report.

"I was very impressed by how facade renovations were carried out in Baku. Many former Soviet countries have a large number of panel apartment buildings, and many cities are now trying to modernize them. For us, Baku is a major example. We examined how the work was implemented and what materials were used," he told the agency on the sidelines of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13).

According to Chindaliyev, the Kazakh delegation presented a pavilion at WUF13 dedicated to the development of urban planning in the country, particularly in Astana.

He noted that one of the Urban Planning Center's key priorities is the creation of a people-centered urban environment.

"We presented master plans for new districts where the main focus is placed on people and urban comfort. Some of these projects are already being implemented," he emphasized.

According to him, Kazakhstan is also actively introducing modern approaches to urban development. In particular, Astana has developed a greening charter, which has helped increase the number of newly planted trees in the city by 2.5 times.

In addition, the city is implementing the Greenline Boulevard project, under which one of the boulevards has been completely cleared of vehicles and transformed into a pedestrian space.