Conditions for walking and outdoor dining will be created on Mirabad Street in Tashkent (+sketches and photos)

Conditions for walking and catering to be created on Mirabad Street in Tashkent (+sketches and photos)

Reconstruction of a part of Mirabad Street adjacent to the Mirabad (Hospital) Market has started in Tashkent. District Khokim Anvar Sayfutdinov briefed residents on the project during a hearing on Friday.

In the first phase, the changes will affect the area near the nine-story residential building No. 39A. Commercial facilities, including catering establishments, are located on the first floor of the building.

According to the khokim, illegally built terraces were previously removed here. Now, based on a public-private partnership and taking into account the city's design code, new terraces will be erected, which businesses will be able to use to expand their operations. The roof of the terraces will be made of sound-absorbing material so that residents do not experience discomfort during rain.

"Conditions for business mean new jobs, new tax revenues for the budget and, consequently, additional revenues for the mahalla budget to spend on its needs," Anvar Sayfutdinov said.

He also noted that on all Tashkent streets reconstructed in recent years, the number of visitors, including tourists, is growing, as well as business revenues and real estate values. As examples, he cited Taras Shevchenko and O'zbekiston Ovozi streets.

The head of the district reported that a barrier-free environment will be created on the street, and the sidewalk will be widened by moving the bike lane onto the roadway. This will narrow and organize the space for cars, which had expanded after the elimination of the tram line.

The wide green area between the sidewalk and the roadway will be given a unified, landscaped look: additional trees and shrubs will be planted here (not flowers, which require constant care, the khokim noted), tables will be installed, as well as benches for passersby and residents to rest, trash cans, lighting, cameras, and "panic buttons."

Along the entire length of the street, the sidewalk will be on one level, pedestrian crossings will be raised, the roadway will be narrowed, and the street will become a pleasant place to be.

"It used to be believed that if you widen a street, there will be fewer traffic jams, but look at O'zbekiston Ovozi Street — there is one lane in each direction, but traffic does not stop because the intersections are properly designed, including the roundabout at one of them," the khokim said.

After the completion of the first phase, the reconstruction is expected to cover other sections of the street toward the roundabout near the Grand Mir Hotel.

Answering a question from Gazeta's correspondent about whether there will be improvements for pedestrians in the space in front of the Mirabad Avenue residential complex, where the sidewalk is combined with parking, Anvar Sayfutdinov answered in the affirmative.