Not a single market in Tashkent will be closed, says the mayor
Tashkent authorities intend to attract investors to modernize 35 state-owned markets and shopping malls. According to the city's mayor, investors will be required to maintain the markets' functions and provide jobs for entrepreneurs, build modern shopping arcades, and provide parking.
None of Tashkent's markets will be closed, said Shavkat Umurzakov, the capital's mayor, in an interview with UzA. 35 state-owned markets and shopping malls in Tashkent are planned for modernization. However, none of them should be closed or lose their primary function.
According to Umurzakov, many existing markets no longer meet modern requirements, either in appearance or business model. Authorities are taking into account the sensitivity of this issue for residents and entrepreneurs.
"There's a popular saying: 'Don't touch the bazaar or the cemetery.' These words reflect well-founded concerns. When places to which people are accustomed and where they earn their living change, this, of course, raises concerns," the mayor said.
Shavkat Umurzakov emphasized that market modernization must be carried out without displacing existing entrepreneurs.
The mayor identified three mandatory conditions for investors:
1. Build modern shopping arcades to the required capacity and transfer them to the state.
2. Preserve the jobs of existing entrepreneurs.
3. Create a parking lot of sufficient capacity on the market premises.
Investors will be able to build retail, service, and entertainment facilities only on spaces that are currently inefficiently used.
"I can say unequivocally: not a single market will be closed or lose its function," stated Shavkat Umurzakov.
The authorities are considering the Ecobazaar as an example of such a model. The mayor also cited international experience—the Markthal market in Rotterdam and the Time Out Market in Lisbon, where the historical function of the markets was preserved and the spaces themselves transformed into popular urban spots.
"Our markets should also develop in this manner, while maintaining a national atmosphere," he noted.
The modernization of the markets is envisaged as part of the presidential decree of July 27 on additional measures for the socio-economic development of Tashkent in 2026-2027.
The list of properties to be sold includes 12 large markets and shopping malls, as well as 23 of their branches. The total land area is 91.94 hectares, and the area of buildings and structures is approximately 519,400 square meters.
The list also includes the Navruz, Sergeli, Korakamysh markets, the Parkent universal shopping complex, the Bek Tupi shopping complex, and the Beshkurgon Savdo enterprise.