In early June, workers and heavy machinery unexpectedly arrived in the courtyard of buildings No. 1 and No. 2 in the "Turon" mahalla of Tashkent's Mirzo Ulugbek district. They began dismantling a children's playground that residents had built years ago with their own funds. It later emerged that the local administration (hokimiyat) had planned a renovation project for the courtyard, which included building a fountain in the center, installing sofas, and creating a barbecue zone.

Residents opposed the renovation project. They sent appeals to various authorities, recorded a video message to the city and national leadership, and contacted Gazeta. A correspondent from the publication spoke with residents, representatives of the construction company, and officials from the district hokimiyat.

Elderly residents recall that the courtyard area, though not well-maintained, was once green. Later, a small football field, a hill, swings, various exercise equipment, benches, gazebos, and trash bins appeared. Almost all of these were built by one of the neighbors at his own expense. Therefore, the playground is especially dear to the residents.

Currently, most of the playground equipment is outdated. For example, the metal swings, once considered standard, are now deemed unsafe. However, the courtyard is almost always bustling with residents and playing children. Since it is the only such playground in the mahalla, people from nearby houses also come here.

Part of the courtyard is occupied by cars. Previously, there were garages along the edge, but they were later demolished. Residents were promised a green area in front of the houses, but instead, a fine parking lot appeared, which is never empty. The narrow street between the houses leading to a kindergarten is clogged with cars in the morning and evening.

"On the morning of June 2, residents looked out the window and saw that equipment had arrived: an excavator was standing, and people were breaking the swings and exercise equipment with jackhammers. We went out, argued with them, and asked what was happening," said Yelena Abdullayeva, a resident of building No. 1.

Later, a stand with sketches of the renovation project was installed in the courtyard. The Mirzo Ulugbek district hokimiyat also published them on its Telegram channel. The hokimiyat told Gazeta that residents had been informed before the work began. However, residents claim the project details were not disclosed to them.

The project sketches suggest that the developers did not consider whether the proposed solutions were needed by the residents. A large part of the courtyard was planned to be paved with concrete tiles, which could lead to increased surface heating on hot days and worsen living conditions in the houses.

Margarita Agadjanova, a resident of building No. 1, considers the proposed project unacceptable. In her opinion, placing a barbecue zone in the very center of the courtyard, next to the windows of first-floor apartments, would inevitably cause inconvenience due to smoke and noise.

On June 5, a meeting was held with the participation of the deputy hokim of the district, where a protocol was signed. According to it, the hokimiyat committed to revising the project, taking into account residents' opinions. At the same meeting, it was announced that there was a list of property owners who supported the proposed project. However, the initiative group and their neighbors say they have not seen this document.

After residents' protests, construction work was suspended, and the dismantled equipment remained on site. Children continue to play nearby.

On June 23, work in the courtyard resumed. Bahodir Meliyev, the work supervisor of the contractor Class Group Builder, told Gazeta that changes had been made to the initial project.

"This mahalla was included in the 'Obod mahalla' program in November 2024. Before that, we worked in the courtyards of other houses and recently developed a project for the courtyard of building No. 1. The residents did not like it; they demanded changes. In early June, the deputy hokim for construction issues [Nigmat Pulatov] personally came here and listened to the residents' opinions. As a result, everything remained in place," Meliyev said.

According to the updated project, it was decided to expand the football field. The hill in the center of the courtyard will be preserved — rubber coating will be laid underneath, and broken boards and the roof will be replaced. New play equipment and exercise machines will be installed on the playground.

However, the problem with the renovation project persists: even in its updated form, it does not match the actual state of the courtyard. The render does not account for the courtyard's dimensions or existing greenery; it is merely a pretty picture.

In 2021, Gazeta reported on the large-scale start of mahalla renovation works in Tashkent. At that time, workers demolished fences in front of houses, uprooted plants planted and cared for by residents, concreted children's playgrounds, and installed red-and-white curbs almost everywhere.

Renowned Russian urbanist Arkady Gershman gave an interview then, explaining that decisions on courtyard renovations should be made not by the hokimiyat, but by the residents themselves.

The editorial board will continue to monitor the progress of renovation work in the courtyard of the Turon mahalla.

Source: www.gazeta.uz