The Tashkent city people’s deputies council approved allocation of funds for construction of 20 new pedestrian bridges over automobile roads. The capital hokim (mayor) Shavkat Umurzakov, who is at the same time the chairperson of the council, signed the resolution on 31 July.
According to the administration’s preliminary estimates, the new passes will cost over 107.26 billion soums, or more than $8.52 million. The council approved issuing 53.63 billion soums, or $4.26 million, to start the construction.
The construction in Tashkent of 25 foot bridges was included in the president’s resolution of July 2022 — 5 bridges every year in 2022−2026.
At that time, the city had 10 overpasses and 41 underpasses. The same document stipulates construction of 25 new underpasses — also 5 year year.
The resolution does not indicate locations of the future over- and underpasses or explain their necessity. Gazeta.uz could not clarify these locations in the mayor’s office.
The absence of this information and discussions with the citizens makes the experts and the public concern about the worsening of the streets' accessibility. Most previously built over- and underpasses do not comply with modern accessibility requirements. They make the street crossings longer and inconvenient, and many residents prefer risking lives to cross the streets without using these structures.
“Such large projects have to be put for public discussion. The document does not contain any information on the location of the pedestrian bridges or the reasons for this, everything remains closed,” urbanist Iskandar Soliyev said.
Journalist Qobil Khidirov said the convenience and efficiency of the existing bridges are under serious doubt. Before starting construction, the administration has to publish the projects and hold open discussions, he noted.
