From dilapidated houses to comfortable apartments: The first phase of renovation is underway in Tashkent
In Tashkent, the relocation of families who have lived in old and dilapidated houses for years into new apartments has begun. In the first stage of the renovation program, keys to modern housing were handed over to 40 participants. Among the owners of the new apartments are those who for years lived in houses where walls leaked during rain, and which had problems with power grids and heating systems.
**From dilapidated houses to comfortable apartments: The first phase of renovation is underway in Tashkent**
The old house of one of the families who lived in the Abdulla Avloniy neighborhood near Furqat Park was built of adobe. The homeowner cannot even remember exactly when this shelter was built.
"Our apartment was crumbling. I don't even remember when it was built: it must be older than me. When it rained, the mud would wash away. The roof was old, and the walls leaked water. The heating system ran on gas, but it broke down frequently. The electrical wiring was also not in a satisfactory condition,"
says Gulnora Yoldosheva.
Now, she and her family are moving into a cozy apartment built in the "Yangi O'zbekiston" (New Uzbekistan) residential area in the Sergeli district. They have been allocated a three-room apartment on the third floor.
"Compared to our previous house, this is completely different: it is like night and day. It has all the amenities, the rooms are bright and cozy. We are grateful to the builders,"
says the owner of the new apartment.
**"I didn't think we would get new apartments instead of the house"**
As a result of the renovation, the change for some families was not limited to just a new address. Depending on the area of the old apartment and the number of people in the family, they were allocated not one, but several homes. For example, Zuhra Gaffarova previously had an apartment of almost 200 square meters. In the process of distributing new housing, her family was given 4 apartments.
"Previously, I lived on the first floor of a two-story building in the Chilonzor district. The area of our old apartment was almost 200 square meters. After we fell under the renovation program, we went with our family, chose the rooms ourselves, and distributed them. My daughter and I were given an apartment in Sergeli, and my two sons were given apartments in the Mirobod district,"
she says.
According to the woman, the new apartments were handed over fully renovated and with the necessary equipment.
"The conditions are just as we wanted. The renovation is finished, and all the equipment is there. It is very beautiful. It is very difficult for a single mother to provide all her children with housing. I used to wonder when I would be able to buy three houses for my three children. I expected them to give us one apartment. I am very happy that all three of my children have separate homes with their own families,"
says Zuhra Gaffarova.
**What conditions are there in the new apartments?**
The families who received the keys entered their new homes and inspected the apartments. The renovation work in the apartments has been completed, and the rooms were handed over in a ready-to-use condition. The brightness and interior renovation of the buildings did not escape the attention of the homeowners.
"The spaciousness of the apartments is good, and I liked the conditions. The renovation is very beautiful. We just need to live here and enjoy it,"
says one of the new residents.
It is also planned to launch social infrastructure facilities such as playgrounds, schools, and kindergartens around the residential area.
**"Previously, when renovation was mentioned, people were afraid"**
Within the framework of the renovation program, along with demolishing old houses and building new housing in their place, it is also planned to launch a mechanism for solving the housing issue of the population.
According to the khokim (mayor) of Tashkent city, Shavkat Umrzakov, in the first phase, homes are being handed over to the owners of 40 apartments in the Yashnobod district. After the construction work is completed, the remaining families will also be moved to new apartments. Another 58 apartments will be handed over by the end of the year.
It is noted that the renovation is not limited to only one area. The program will be implemented step-by-step in other districts of Tashkent as well.
"Previously, when renovation was mentioned, people were afraid. There was a perception that 'we will be left without our home, we will be deceived.' Now we see that these fears are groundless and we see the practical results of our work. In allocating new apartments, the area of the previous housing and the composition of the family were taken into account. In some cases, the opportunity to obtain a new apartment was created by applying an additional coefficient to the existing area. Since there are many houses requiring renovation in Tashkent, this process is expected to be carried out step-by-step over several years,"
says the khokim of Tashkent city.