Astana's unsung heroes keep the capital's streets clean year-round

Two experienced drivers, Kanat Abilmazhinov and Orakai Orazabekov, play a key role in keeping Astana’s streets clean. Both work for the city’s municipal utility, operating heavy machinery to clear snow and debris. Their work supports a large team of 600 workers and 250 pieces of equipment that maintain the capital’s roads daily. Kanat Abilmazhinov, 53, has been with Astana Tazalyk since 2001. He began his career driving a ZIL-131 snowplow before switching to an Erdemli vacuum road sweeper. Today, he operates a KamAZ truck that washes and sweeps roads in summer and clears snow in winter. His route covers Republic Avenue, a landfill on the Astrakhan Highway, Kenesary Street, and Bogenbai Batyr Avenue. Each trip takes about an hour and a half, and he covers dozens of kilometres in a single shift.

Orakai Orazabekov, 61, has worked for the municipal utility since 2005. His KamAZ follows a different path, cleaning Republic Avenue, Zhenis Avenue, Abai Avenue, and other major streets. Like Kanat, he undergoes mandatory medical checks before every shift to ensure safety and readiness.

Both drivers have faced challenging conditions on the job. Kanat once assisted a woman whose car had skidded off the road into a ditch during a blizzard. Their work is part of a larger effort to maintain Astana’s streets year-round. The city relies on their experience and the coordinated use of machinery to keep roads safe and clear. Each driver’s route and responsibilities contribute to the daily upkeep of the capital.