Extensive renovation plans for the nearly 12-hectare Elbek Park in the capital have triggered significant anxiety and questions among local residents. The green space, which had reportedly suffered from years of neglect while remaining a popular spot for neighborhood strolls and outdoor activities, began undergoing preparatory works without any prior public consultation, fueling public frustration.

According to Tashkent Deputy Mayor Azizkhon Shavkatov, the updated reconstruction project was allegedly developed in cooperation with the Turkish Embassy, with the overarching concept supposedly created by a Turkish architectural bureau. Part of the park is set to be transformed into the "Uzbek-Turkish Friendship" avenue, featuring a section named after modern Turkey's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, complete with an arch, a monument, and a decorative pool.

The sudden appearance of heavy machinery and the dismantling of old infrastructure sparked immediate questions from the community regarding the fate of the local ecosystem. The municipal regime claimed that a thorough dendrological inventory had been conducted, allegedly identifying hundreds of diseased or dead trees that require removal. Officials promised to plant around 500 mature replacement trees alongside numerous shrubs and flowers by the end of November.

During a hastily arranged public hearing, residents openly criticized officials for launching the project behind closed doors before seeking community feedback. Citizens voiced concerns over the preservation of green areas, requesting drinking fountains and recreational zones to be maintained. While municipal representatives attempted to reassure the public and promised to accommodate certain demands, skepticism regarding the management of urban transformation remains high.

Source: www.gazeta.uz