Inspection begins in Almaty metro after social media post

Tengrinews.kz — An Almaty resident has been complaining about an unpleasant odor in metro cars for several months. Tengrinews.kz correspondent has learned that the "Metropoliten" state enterprise has launched an internal investigation.
"I don't even want to stand near them"
A complaint from a passenger who noticed a persistent foul smell on an Almaty metro train has gained traction on social media.

"There is a terrible stench in the carriage. The seats are in such a state that I don't even want to stand near them. Who should I contact to ensure action is taken?" she wrote in a post dated June 27.

Photo by @kubeeva_za from Threads
Dozens of comments appeared under the publication. Many users stated that they had also noticed an unpleasant odor in the subway.
Some suggested that the fabric upholstery of the seats absorbs odors and moisture, requiring the cars to undergo more thorough cleaning.

"Yes! I can't even stand being in there";
"They need to air them out for at least 5 minutes after every terminus station";
"I thought I was the only one. It looks like they wash the seats, but they don't have time to dry properly in the humidity";
"Why did they use fabric seats? They could have used plastic."

"Even yesterday" – what the author of the post says
A Tengrinews.kz correspondent contacted the author of the post. The woman said that over the past month and a half, the situation in the metro has not changed.
According to her, she and her husband regularly board the metro at the "Raiymbek Batyr" station and constantly notice the unpleasant smell.

"We still smell it to this day. Even yesterday, the metro smelled bad. My husband and I usually board at 'Raiymbek'. I wrote to the metro administration. I even saw a staff member in the car once, but he just said they were cleaning it," the Almaty resident shared.

The woman emphasized that she has yet to receive a response regarding the situation from the metro administration.
Metro launches internal investigation
The Almaty Metro informed Tengrinews.kz that an internal investigation has been launched following the social media post.

"Specialists are establishing the circumstances of the incident and checking the technical and sanitary condition of the carriage mentioned in the publication," the press service reported.

The metro administration promised that after the investigation, the carriage would receive additional treatment, including dry cleaning or seat upholstery replacement if necessary.
According to the press service, oversight of cleaning quality and the sanitary condition of the rolling stock will be tightened.
How carriages are cleaned and disinfected
The metro administration explained that carriages are cleaned daily after the end of operations.
According to the enterprise, staff perform wet cleaning of the interiors, washing surfaces and disinfecting handrails, doors, and other contact zones. Additionally, the rolling stock undergoes regular deep cleaning.
The metro administration also stated that seat dry cleaning is performed only as needed. According to them, if significant dirt, damage, or wear is identified, the upholstery is cleaned or replaced.
The company also noted that a few complaints regarding the sanitary condition of the cars have been received since the beginning of the year. The metro administration thanked passengers for their vigilance and urged them to report such cases through official feedback channels so that specialists can respond promptly.