Arkadag

Opposition media reported in February 2023 that imported construction materials for the second phase of construction would cost an estimated $1.296 billion, in addition to the presumed original cost of phase one construction of $1.466 billion, implying a total cost of city construction in excess of $2.76 billion.[24] In March 2023, however, a Turkmen construction official reported that the first phase would cost an estimated $3.3 billion and the second phase an estimated $1.5 billion, for a total of $4.8 billion.[25]

Phase two construction is reported to include

...five secondary schools for 720 pupils each, nine kindergartens for 320 children, a polyclinic, fire station...administrative buildings of the mayor of Arkadag, a museum, a square, a shopping center and a household goods store in one building, 36 five-storey apartment buildings with 30 apartments each, 36 five-storey apartment buildings with 40 apartments each, twenty-four 42-apartment seven-storey building, 14 nine-storey buildings of 54 apartments each...a railway station, a bus depot and a taxi dispatcher station, a bus station of Ahal Province.[26]

Turkmen state media reported in March 2023 that the second phase of construction is to be completed by 2026.[27]

In June 2023 President Serdar Berdimuhamedow decreed that the city include a seismological station for monitoring seismic activity.[28] He also decreed that Arkadag city should feature factories for production of "food, industrial, pharmaceutical and medical products".[29]

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov ordered the Cabinet of Ministers to prepare celebrations in honor of the city's opening for 2023, including a military parade and concert on the Main Square.[30] The cornerstone of the mosque was laid 20 January 2023.[31] By presidential decree the city's formal opening was set for 29 June 2023, which coincides with the birthday of former President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.[32]

The city was built based on a centralized architectural plan following a design competition involving five separate submissions. All buildings are faced with white marble along symmetrically laid out streets.[33] The following facilities will be named as follows:[34][35][36]

• Arkadag Monument
• Aba Annayev International Academy of Horse Breeding
• Berdimuhamed Annayev Ahal Velayat Pedagogical Secondary Vocational School
• Sachly Dursunova Ahal Velayat Medical Secondary Vocational School
• Görogly State Equestrian Circus
• Döwletmämmet Azady Ahal Velayat Library
• Aman Gulmammedov State Drama Theater
• Sahy Jepbarov Specialized Art School of Ahal Velayat
• Shukur Bagshy Children's Art School

All residential buildings, except for the two-story cottages, are equipped with modern elevators able to serve as cargo elevators.

• Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow Health and Rehabilitation Center
• Ahal Region Health Department
• General hospital with 350 beds
• Oncology center with 150 beds,
• Maternal and child health center with 150 beds
• Ambulance center.

Source:[37]

Arkadag is intended to be Turkmenistan's first "smart city".[38]

A railway station will be built in the city.[43] There are plans to launch a regional passenger railroad express on the Arkadag-Ashgabat route with a speed of up to 140 km/hour.[44] A high-speed railroad also is planned from Arkadag to Avaza.[43]

The city plans to introduce ground-based public electric transport,[45] including Chinese Yutong electric buses and Jac J7 cars.[46]

The city will include 15 km of bicycle paths.[47] A first mass cycling rally was held in April 2023.[48]

The city is equipped with smart traffic lights.[49] They are equipped with special buttons and sound signals so that visually- and hearing-impaired people can easily cross streets. The traffic lights will change their operating mode depending on traffic congestion on the streets and intersections. Computer servers analyze images from street cameras and send signals to the traffic lights.

Sidewalks are paved with tactile sidewalk tiles.[49]

Pedestrian overpasses in the city are equipped with elevators or escalators.