In Tashkent's Mirobod district, the construction of a business center in a residential courtyard was halted and a criminal case opened after public outcry and official intervention. Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of the presidential administration, visited the site and ordered the Prosecutor General's Office to check the legality of courtyard construction projects across Tashkent. However, just a few minutes' walk away, two other courtyards are experiencing similar disputes.
In the courtyard surrounded by buildings 27/5, 27/6, 27/7, and 27/8, a five-story business center was planned on the site of the former mahalla building, children's and sports grounds. Residents say they asked for permits, cadastral documents, and decisions from authorities but received no clear answers. The mahalla building was then demolished, trees cut down, and the area leveled.
"We are not calming down yet. We will only be calm when the children's and sports grounds are really restored, trees are planted, and in a few months we are sure that another construction fence will not appear here," said local resident Fotima Temirkhodjaeva. Her neighbor Alla Avanesova recalled that the courtyard was the "heart of the mahalla," where neighbors gathered, celebrated holidays, and children played.
Before the collective appeal to the presidential administration, residents had filed numerous complaints with local authorities, the prosecutor's office, and cadastral agencies, but received only formal responses. The last attempt proved successful — after Mirziyoyeva's visit, construction was stopped. For residents, this was a "real miracle," Temirkhodjaeva said.
However, in neighboring courtyards, the situation is different. In the courtyard of building 27/3, construction began on the site of a children's playground, with the project customer listed as ARX STROY PROJECT LLC. Residents say they were shown no documents, and the playground was removed overnight. A new playground does not replace the old one.
In the courtyard of building 27/10, residents have been fighting since 2018, when utility sheds were transferred to the furniture company Viva Victoria as compensation for property demolished during the Tashkent City construction. Over eight years, residents have seen plans for a hotel, business center, and residential complex. The area was cleared, trees transplanted, but construction never started.
"We are not against the city's development, but it should not happen at the expense of people. Today, this construction problem affects all of Tashkent. Residents are losing their courtyards, children's playgrounds, and entire neighborhoods are losing green areas," concluded Ksenia Romashkina-Blyummer.
The Lolazor case is just one of many conflicts unfolding across Tashkent. In recent weeks, protests against infill development were reported in the Akkurgan and Cholpon mahallas. These events raise questions about how openly decisions regarding public spaces are made and how residents can participate in their discussion.
Source: www.gazeta.uz