ALMATY – Almaty is preparing to create its own digital twin, a virtual model of the city, following the examples of Singapore and Shanghai by the end of 2026.
Photo credit: Kazinform/Aleksandr Pavsky
The city’s Department of Digitalization confirmed that work on the digital twin has already begun. A technical assignment is currently being developed for a pilot project to be implemented in partnership with a company from Shenzhen, China, reported the Kazinform news agency on Nov. 10.
Funding is expected to come from grants provided by the China International Development Cooperation Agency. A full tender for the project is scheduled for 2026, following the completion of the pilot phase and finalization of project functions, objectives, budget, and timeline.
In the first phase of the project’s implementation, scheduled for 2026, the digital twin will cover housing, utilities, and transportation. From 2027 onward, the system will expand to other sectors. The main goal is to enable real-time city management, including traffic analysis, urban development forecasting, and emergency response.
The Head of the Department of Digitalization Olzhas Zhanabek explained that the digital twin will consist of three levels. The first level will cover engineering networks and urban infrastructure, while the second level will focus on zoning, development modeling, and traffic management. The environmental-climate level will take into account natural factors affecting the city, including air quality.
A full inventory and digitalization of all city infrastructure and engineering networks is to be completed by 2026. According to international experience, implementing such a project in a significant city typically takes 3 to 5 years.
