What did the citizens ask for at the akim's meetings with the population in the past years and what of it came to life?

The Akimat of Kostanay successfully practices open meetings with the population, where people directly ask questions to the city's leadership. NK tracked what residents asked for in 2023-2025 and what changes followed.

The concept of a "Hearing State", proclaimed in Kazakhstan, assumes that the government responds promptly to the demands of the population, actively builds a direct dialogue with citizens and solves urgent problems.

2023 – 2024

For the first time, a single day of reception of citizens in the regional center was held in February 2023. The open meeting, as well as the subsequent ones, was held with the participation of the akims of the region and the city, their deputies, heads of departments and departments. The format immediately received a great response, more than a hundred Kostanay residents attended the event.

Citizens usually receive a variety of requests: from communal and infrastructural to cultural and historical. For example, at a meeting in February 2023, the honored teacher of Kostanay, Begen Kopesh, asked the authorities to replace the monument to the 151st Rifle Brigade in Victory Park with a more worthy one. As a result, this issue was taken into account, the pedestal of the monument was updated this year, just in time for the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory.

In the spring of 2023, and especially in April 2024, the Kostanay-2 area was severely affected by groundwater flooding. Dozens of private sector yards went under water. Marat Zhundubaev then personally traveled to the problematic neighborhood. A meeting with local residents took place in the open air at the mobile flood control headquarters. The townspeople asked practical questions.

For example, some did not know how to properly pump water out of the yard so as not to receive a fine. The city authorities then promptly organized water pumping, prepared buses for evacuation in case the situation worsened, and even placed people in temporary detention facilities.

Of course, the main question of the residents concerned when the problem of flood waters would finally be solved. The answer was real action. In the summer of 2024, the city began large-scale construction of storm sewers in the area. 422 million tenge was allocated for these purposes, and 17 sections of storm drains with a total length of more than 12 kilometers were planned. By September 25, 2024, the work had been completed by 75%, which the heads of the municipal enterprise reported to the akim right at the construction site. It was noted that rain and groundwater from Kostanay-2 will be diverted through new pipes and ditches towards the Tobol River, rather than stagnating in courtyards.

"The most important thing is that now, when water appears in the yards, people will be able to pump it into the main storm drain with their pumps, and the water will not come back," promised Marat Zhundubayev, inspecting new sewer networks in the fall of 2024.

He explained that the groundwater will not go anywhere, but now it will be easier to deal with them, since the storm drains are laid below the groundwater level and take over the excess.

THE YEAR IS 2025

One of the most pressing topics at the meetings with the mayor is the problems of residential development. In recent years, there has been a construction boom in the regional center, and not all the changes are to the liking of residents. But the main thing is that the authorities hear them and the dialogue exists.

A striking example is the situation around house No. 65 on Kairbekov St. Here, a private developer is building a 19-storey residential complex of the Vasilyevsky residential complex with 500 apartments. But the yard is clearly not designed for such a bulky new building. Residents are afraid that they will have no parking spaces or a playground.

Back in December 2023, the mayor met with the residents of this courtyard. The townspeople demanded that the construction be suspended, and the authorities met them halfway, then the developer's project was sent for revision, and the courts began between the akimat and the construction company on parking issues. As a result, the city took a principled position. Without sufficient parking spaces, the house will not be put into operation – Marat Zhundubayev has repeatedly focused the attention of both residents and the developer on this.

In November 2025, Valery Artyushin, a resident of the house, again drew the akim's attention to this problem.

– The city has changed, it has been rebuilt – it really is. Construction has been stopped in Berek because the streets are narrowed. And we, residents of 65 Kairbekov St., have been knocking on all doors for the third year now. They're taking our parking lot, our yard. Accept us, we will speak out," the Kostanay resident addressed the authorities.

Marat Zhundubayev instructed the initiative group to register for a personal reception right in the hall and promised to meet with people to give a full-fledged answer.

As you can see, the issue remains under control, the construction of the skyscraper has actually been suspended until the parking problem is resolved. This year, nothing was given up on the site – the house has not received the act of commissioning. It is known that the developer is trying to buy out a neighboring parking lot in order to fulfill the requirements of the city. For residents, it is important that they are heard and not ignored, not allowing them to rent a house without a yard and parking.

Another housing plot concerns the Kunai microdistrict and the issue of land plots. This new area of Kostanay was conceived for a comprehensive development. At the expense of the budget, 124 standard houses were built here, which they planned to offer to those on the waiting list (those who have been waiting in line for housing or land for many years). However, the process was not easy, not all the waiting lists were ready to immediately buy out these houses, many prefer to wait for a free plot for residential housing. This fall, the situation reached a dead end. Houses are still unsold, and thousands of families are still waiting in line without land.

At a meeting with the population, residents asked a direct question: when will beneficiaries receive land? Kostanay resident Alexander told about his uncle, a Chernobyl veteran who is already over 70, he has been on the waiting list for many years.

– I have repeatedly contacted the Department of Land Relations. I was told that until the houses in the neighborhood are distributed, my question will not progress," the man worries.

Marat Zhundubaev acknowledged the problem and immediately instructed the relevant department to look into it in detail once again and give the applicant a substantive answer. Moreover, the mayor assured that the rights of the waiting list will be respected.

– There are no problems… I give you a 100% guarantee that the land will be given to you. Look, a pool of land plots is being created now, as soon as it is created, everything will be received in the order of the queue. We have fixed your question. If you want, I will personally tell you tomorrow how this issue will move forward," Zhundubayev assured.

These words were backed up by deeds. A little later, the city authorities, in order to get the issue off the ground, allowed the purchase of houses in the Kunai residential district for all those on the waiting list up to the 43 thousandth number on the list (previously, only the first 3,000 could apply). In other words, the opportunity to purchase a ready-made house was opened to everyone from the queue, regardless of where they stand. The goal is to sell the empty houses as quickly as possible, after which the distribution of the remaining vacant housing plots among the rest of the waiting list will begin.

According to the Department of Land Relations, there are 1,792 individual construction plots in the Kunai microdistrict. 124 of them are occupied by the houses that were built, and the rest will be distributed free of charge among the waiting list. The state has allocated 3.9 billion tenge for the construction of these houses, and now it is important that the invested funds are not wasted. Judging by the latest news, the process has started: many have responded to the offer and come to watch at home.

conclusions

The examples considered show that the concept of a "Hearing State" in Kostanay is embodied in concrete steps. Citizens actively use the opportunity to directly address the akimat at meetings, through open receptions, social networks and services such as iKomek. In turn, the city's leadership demonstrates its willingness not only to listen, but also to solve problems to the best of its authority. Not all issues can be resolved instantly, some require significant funds, some require time. However, it is important that the dialogue between residents and the authorities is well-established and bearing fruit.