Shavkat Umrzakov: Tashkent mahallas will be beautified based on the Sydney experience 

The governor of Tashkent city, Shavkat Umrzakov, has been in the districts of the capital for about 2 weeks, studying the conditions of mahallas and streets, the capacity of the areas to be used.

On April 9, during his visit to “Shushtepa” mahalla of Yunusabad district, Umrzakov said that beautification of streets and neighborhoods should be done on the basis of Sydney’s experience, Gazeta.uz reported.

Adopted in 2021, Sydney’s “street codes” document consists of 443 pages. It outlines important aspects to be considered for improvement and reconstruction works such as feasibility studies, design and maintenance guidelines. Gulnoza Kasimova, press secretary of the capital’s administration, told Kun.uz that the Sydney experience will not be fully introduced to streets and mahallas”, in fact, this is not a guideline for us, but a manual,” she says.

It is noted that on the basis of these, the governor emphasized that the standards and norms that will be used in all mahallas will be developed.

“Previously, improvement meant solving problems in 2-4 houses and that was the end. We now move away from this approach. Now, based on the population, we determine how many “benches” should be around, for example, 1 or 17 houses, how many playgrounds should be built and where they should be built, how many workout zones are needed, where the children’s playground should be, where the elderly should rest, where the amphitheater should be, the avenue, where the trees should be planted, that is, where they will be watered, how many waste collection points should be there, where the milk shop should be placed, where there are illegal buildings, etc., Gazeta.uz quoted the city governor as saying.

Bakhodir Abduvaliyev, the governor of Yunusabad district, who made a presentation during the visit, said that the center of the district will have a “attention-seeking place”, as well as pedestrian walkways, an amphitheater and other facilities. It is added that based on the governor’s order, conditions will be created for residents according to the “Sydney Codes”, so the number of seats, street lighting and other elements may change.

The Tashkent city governor informed the mahalla chairmen that a master plan has been developed, indicating the measures, terms and amounts. They should post these plans in their mahallas so that residents can familiarize themselves with the improvement plans and establish public control over their implementation.

It should be noted that Sherzod Ziyayev, the deputy director of “TashkentboshplanLITi”, gave an interview to Kun.uz in February of this year that the capital’s master plan was developed and submitted to the government for approval. He also said that the document will be announced to the public and then accepted. However, the residents of Tashkent have not yet familiarized themselves with the master plan.