4 august 2010
First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov chairs a meeting on the 27th World Summer Universiade in Kazan in 2013
Mr Shuvalov's meeting was attended by Transport Minister Igor Levitin, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, representatives of the Ministries of Finance, Economic Development, Healthcare and Social Development, Culture, and Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy, and Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin.
Tatarstan Minister for Youth, Sport and Tourist Affairs Rafis Burganov talked about preparations for the Universiade, and the pace of construction and the commission of sport facilities and municipal infrastructure projects.
Kazan is preparing to host 13,500 athletes and delegation members, and over 50,000 fans and guests in 2013. President Minnikhanov said that construction was ahead of schedule and that 19 projects had been completed by July 31 (ten in 2009 and nine this year). The Universiade village is preparing to host its first residents. The first two centres will open on August 30 hosting roughly 8,000 students. The third centre is scheduled to open by August 20, 2011.
Tatarstan has also launched a programme for the reconstruction and modernisation of current sport venues.
Meeting participants approved a concept of transport support for Universiade. The concept lays out Kazan's current system, and projects the demands of 2013 Universiade. Improvements include upgrading city streets and highways, public passenger transport and interurban passenger terminals, developing the management organisation and providing information coverage. Private investors will be offered opportunities to participate in the projects.
The Kazan International Airport will be modernised and expanded to handle a capacity of up to 1.2 million passengers a year.
Various ministries and agencies explained the problems of athletic and cultural heritage, medical, sanitary and epidemiological support, and the use of ICT in preparation for the Universiade and during it.
Igor Shuvalov stressed once again the necessity for closer coordination between federal executive bodies for the field-oriented concepts of the 27th World Summer Universiade of 2013 and its preparation, and called for a more effective pattern of sport infrastructure management following the Games.
