According to reliable sources, the Uzbek government project on creation of so called “exemplary mahallas” in Tashkent city is turning into a campaign of forcing the local businessmen to involve in charity supporting of this project, Tashkent-based Expert Working Group (EWG) reports.

On the eve of the twenty year anniversary of the National Independence Day of the Republic of Uzbekistan the authorities have announced all over the country a launch of a national competence “The most exemplary mahalla with all proper amenities of the year”. The Main Department on Architecture and Construction of Tashkent has clarified that each district in the capital city will get two exemplary mahallas which will participate in the nation-wide competition (At present Tashkent city is made up of 11 districts. There are approximately 12 thousand mahallas around the country. Each mahalla contains from 150 to 1.5 thousand families or households).

EWG refers to a special Decree of Tashkent City Khokimiyat (Uzbek for Municipality) adopted on March 29, 2011 #175, which approved a list of 22 mahallas which will represent the capital city in the contest of “Exemplary mahalla”. The Decree in particular instructs the district hokimiyats (government executive body) to develop action plans on implementation of the “Exemplary mahalla” project.

Under the Decree the following is a list of activities covered in the implementation action plans of the district authorities:

• Repairing roofs, facades, engineering networks, elevators (if necessary – their replacement), entrances, benches of multi-storey houses;
• Taking care of facades of trade enterprises and objects of social services in the territories of mahallas, providing necessary amenities and gardening in their territories;
• Demolition of existing private garages in the territories of mahallas and creation of parking places for vehicles;
• Demolition of local wedding places constructed by mahalla residents themselves on the territory of mahallas and creation of children’s playgrounds;
• Stacking asphalt on internal streets of territories of mahallas and entrances to houses, installation of borders and trays;
• Installation of night illumination systems in the territories of mahallas.

According to the Uzbek authorities concept, such pilot project allows to apply similar scheme of providing necessary amenities in remaining mahallas of Tashkent paying a special attention to getting rid of shortcomings and improving the achieved experience.

Needless to say, the suggested concept is noble and descent enough so that each resident of the capital city can benefit from it. But as reliable sources informed us the district hokimiyats in Tashkent have actually been forcing the local businessmen to provide funds or similar material contribution for implementation of the government project “Exemplary mahalla”. The amount or value of such support is calculated case by case depending on the overall capital of each businessman. The sources have also indicated that in some cases several “tough” businessmen operating under the patronage of influential government officials or just running businesses belonging to the latter were lucky to turn down hokimiyat’s “suggestions” to support “Exemplary mahalla” project. It is clear that such “forced” charity is first of all meant for small and medium business. The district hokimiyats know too well that they can’t approach the representatives of big business which enjoy protection of powerful patrons or owners.

EWG draws attention to a new development regarding another vital issue concerning the capital city residents – if private garages are going to be demolished by the government. It has been reported that in March – April of this year people in the city started talking about the government decision to demolish all privately owned garages and building in their place local parking places. Soon after that privately owned garages in several parts of Tashkent were indeed demolished though the authorities are not hurrying up to build the promised parking places. Then the process has seemingly stopped but the owners of the garages have still no idea about the situation.

As EWG’s city khokimiyat source has recently clarified, the government decision to demolish all privately owned garages in Tashkent city (not only those garages in the territories of planned and selected exemplary mahallas) is still in force but the authorities have decided to hold on with its implementation until the celebrations of the twenty year anniversary of the National Independence Day. In order not to stir up the emotions of the people. The source has also indicated that the planned demolition of all garages in Tashkent could take up to two years. Nothing is known about the system of compensation for demolished garages.