Igor Levitin, Minister of Transportation of the Russian Federation (center)
KAZAN – Kazan 2013′s transportation infrastructure readiness made the major topic on the agenda of the working group’s session that took place in the Kazan Kremlin on February 10th. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Igor Levitin, Minister of Transportation of the Russian Federation.
The session of the transportation infrastructure and logistics working group of the Council under the President of Russia responsible for development of physical culture and sports, professional sports, preparations and staging of the 22nd Olympic Winter Games and 11th Paralympic Games inSochi, 27th Summer Universiade inKazantook place in the Kazan Kremlin. Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov attended the meeting.
Vladimir Leonov, Director General of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, provided a progress report on the construction/reconstruction of transport infrastructure for the 2013 Summer Universiade. He also mentioned that the Universiade Village inauguration was scheduled for June 29th, 2013 and the solemn Opening Ceremony was set to be held on July 6th, 2013.
«The experience of international competitions shows that visitors’ and athletes’ first impressions are formed based on the ‘meet and greet’ service,» Vladimir Leonov said. «That’s why it’s really important to perfect the routine of welcoming, accommodating and transporting athletes, judges, officials, volunteers and guests of Kazan 2013. It is expected that 80% of them will fly to Kazan through Moscow (via the airports of Moscow and Kazan International Airport), 11% will take direct flights fromEurope, 9% will use rail. Transit airports will be Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo; ‘meet and greet’ volunteers will be working there, and all necessary information signs will be installed to facilitate wayfinding for visitors and national delegates.»
Vladimir Leonov also reminded that the 2013 Games organizers had signed cooperation agreements with 44 higher education institutions of Russia that had obliged to train volunteers for the 2013 World University Summer Games. Up to 4,000 volunteers are expected to arrive in Kazan to assist the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate in all areas of the Games. In this regard, Vladimir Leonov addressed Igor Levitin with a request to negotiate with Russian Railways and arrange free transportation of these volunteers toKazan.
A detailed Kazan 2013 transportation network that ensures that all client groups (athletes, officials, referees, media, etc.) are transported to and from competition venues, hotels, Universiade Village, etc. was offered by Vladimir Leonov as well. Approximately 545 shuttle buses of all sizes and over 1,000 passenger cars will be put into use to provide transportation.
The top executive of the 2013 Games Directorate also brought up an issue of providing the Kazan 2013 accredited vehicles with specialized number plates for the period of the Games (earlier this question was discussed at the meeting in September 2011 where Igor Levitin was also present).
It is also expected that over 3,000 drivers, traffic operators, technical staff and personnel reserve will be needed at Games time. The draft program has been developed to train drivers that will be providing transportation service for the duration of the 2013 Games. The main requirements to be a Kazan 2013 fleet driver are language skills, knowledge of the city’s history, its streets and routes. According to Vladimir Leonov, the Kazan 2013 transport team will be headquartered on the territory of the Oktyabrsky Borough (the former artillery school), the ground in front of the Kazan Equestrian Sports Complex will be used as a parking lot for shuttle buses.
Floating hotels (motor ships anchored in the water area of the river port) will be utilized to accommodate visitors and fans of the Games. They will have no impact on the port navigation, unless their number exceeds 12. The routes taken by participating teams and national delegations to arrive in the city of Kazan will be revealed in detail during the FISU Executive Committee meeting that will take place in May 2012.
1st First Deputy Head of the Executive Committee of Kazan Rustam Nugmatullin gave a review of the city’s transportation strategy for the 2013 Games. Specifically, he said that a specialized Games-time lane would be allocated for theKazan 2013 accredited transport. Moreover, a new transportation scheme will be introduced for the Games period inKazan. It was developed by the Saint Petersburg Scientific Research and Design Institute of Territorial Development and Transport Infrastructure. Under the new scheme, several bus and trolley bus routes will be discontinued, while new light rail lines will be put into operation (Big Kazan Ring). The Kazan underground system is set to play a vital role in the transportation scheme as three new stations will open by 2013. Last but not least, public transport conductors will take special lectures aimed to improve the quality of passenger services.
Sergey Bystrov, 1st Deputy Director General of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, gave a review of the questions that emerge under the agreement between the Government of Tatarstan and Organizing Committee of the 22nd Olympic Winter Games and 11th Paralympic Winter Games inSochi. Head of the Federal Air Transport Agency Alexander Neradko made a report on the Moscow aviation hub’s preparations for an intensive work for the duration of the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan.
Chief of Gorky Railways (territorial branch of Russian Railways) Anatoly Lesun was the one to talk about the construction progress and operation of the intermodular transportation from the railway station to the Kazan International Airport. He assured that everything was going according to the plan, and all the funds had been 100% utilized in the year 2011. The intermodular transportation project is to be finished in 2012.
Later on, the working group discussed issues related to the financing for development of transportation infrastructure in the run up to the 2013 Summer Universiade (reconstruction of the Kazan International Airport, construction and reconstruction of Kazan’s street and road networks, including construction of traffic interchanges, expansion of the Kazan underground system, etc.).
It was stated during the meeting that test events should be held to check the readiness of the entire transportation infrastructure and vehicle fleet for the 2013 Games.
Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov thanked Igor Levitin for his attention toKazan’s transportation problems emerging on the threshold of the 2013 Summer Universiade. In his words, there is no doubt that all necessary work will be completed before the deadline and a cooperation with all services and departments will be established.
(Source: Tatarstan President’s Press Office & Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate)
Igor Levitin, Minister of Transportation of the Russian Federation & Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov
Vladimir Leonov, Director General of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate
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