Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to participate in the virtual opening ceremony of the M-12 "Vostok" highway to Kazan.
Throughout the year, the head of state has consistently engaged in inaugurating new social, industrial, and transportation facilities across various regions through videoconferencing. Last week, in this format, he inaugurated the new Kerak tunnel at the Kovali - Ulruchyi crossing of the Trans-Siberian Railway in the Amur Region and the Vykhodnoy - Lavna railroad line in the Murmansk Region.
The M-12 "Vostok" expressway is a crucial segment of the "Russia" transportation route, covering an 810-kilometer stretch from Moscow to Kazan through five regions: Moscow, Vladimir, Nizhny Novgorod, the Chuvash Republic, and the Republic of Tatarstan.
The journey from Moscow to Kazan along M-12 "Vostok" takes 6.5 hours at a speed of 110 km/h. The highway features multifunctional zones every 50-80 km, with plans to increase their number to 32 next year.
According to Rustam Minnikhanov, the head of Tatarstan, the new highway will enhance connectivity between regions, improve transport accessibility, and leverage tourism opportunities. Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin anticipates that the highway's opening will attract an additional million tourists to the regional capital, with a cumulative positive impact on the economy of nearby cities. This includes an estimated increase of 3,000 jobs in the construction industry and 15-20 thousand jobs in related industries. The total value of shipped products during the road construction is expected to reach approximately 350-400 billion rubles.
Regarding fare payment, the state company "Avtodor" reports that the cost of travel to Tatarstan's capital, without the 15% discount on the loyalty program, will be 4,481 rubles for a passenger car. M-12 "Vostok" is equipped with a barrier-free toll collection system called "Free Flow," featuring 19 frames that automatically record passage. Payment for highway usage is done by license plate number within five days.
Looking ahead, the Russian government approved plans in November to extend the M-12 "Vostok" highway to Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, and Tyumen. This extension will involve incorporating sections of other roads, including the M-7 "Volga" highway Kazan - Diurtiuli, the Diurtiuli - Achit under construction, the Achit - Yekaterinburg section of the R-242 Perm - Yekaterinburg highway, and the R-351 Yekaterinburg - Tyumen highway.
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Based on materials from TASS