President reviews projects to develop mahallas and social infrastructure in Tashkent

The presentation included a project for the comprehensive renewal of the Vatandosh, Mohinur, Al-Bukhari and Tong mahallas in Yashnabad district. Together, they cover a total area of 75 hectares and are home to 18,386 residents.

The project is based on the “15-minute mahalla” concept. Under this approach, shops, essential services, educational and healthcare facilities, and recreational and sports areas will be located within easy reach of residents.

Plans include expanding green spaces, creating a three-kilometre walking avenue, upgrading children’s playgrounds and sports grounds, as well as building a multifunctional sports facility. Existing schools will be expanded to provide 2,000 additional places, while four kindergartens with capacity for 540 children and three outpatient clinics will be established.

Proposals also include moving car parking outside residential courtyards, upgrading public transport stops, and creating safe pedestrian and cycling paths. The facades of 76 residential buildings and utility networks will be renovated, street lighting improved, and the number of waste collection points increased. New shops, service facilities, cafes and spaces for residents to meet and relax will also be created.

As part of the “15-minute mahalla” concept, 100 mahallas in the capital will undergo comprehensive modernisation by 2027, with the number set to reach 400 by 2030. All infrastructure in these mahallas, including heating, water supply, sewerage, electricity, gas and lighting networks, as well as apartment building facades, roads, pavements, children’s playgrounds and sports facilities, will be fully upgraded. Tree and shrub coverage per resident will also be brought into line with international standards.

By 2030, 130,000 new jobs will be created across 400 mahallas, including 22,000 jobs in 100 mahallas by 2027. To support this effort, banks will establish a streamlined system for developing and implementing standardised “conveyor” projects.

As Tashkent’s population grows, demand for school places continues to increase. In the 2025/2026 academic year, the shortage stood at 141,000 places. With the number of schoolchildren expected to rise by 71,000, or 14 per cent, over the next five years, the shortage could reach 212,000 places by the 2030/2031 academic year.

To address this, plans are in place to create 48,000 additional school places through the national budget and 78,000 through the local budget by 2030. As a result, the school occupancy ratio is expected to fall from the current 1.4 to 1.2 by 2030.

Projects for 24 new schools with a combined capacity of 38,000 students and a total area of 64,600 square metres have been prepared for the 2026/2027 academic year. The updated standard school designs incorporate 17 new features, including additional learning spaces, libraries, flexible halls for sports and cultural activities, and enhanced facilities for teachers.

The new designs also provide for ramps and lifts, inclusive education classrooms, medical rooms, as well as advanced safety and energy-efficiency solutions. Motion and water sensors will reduce electricity consumption by up to 20 per cent and water consumption by up to 10 per cent.

The improvements will reduce land requirements by 50 per cent, increase space efficiency per student by 15 per cent and triple the size of sports facilities. Overall, the efficiency of standard school designs will increase by 40 per cent.

Cooperation between private educational centres and public schools will also be established, creating new opportunities for students to prepare for university admission and learn new languages within their schools.

The capital is home to 253,000 children aged 3 to 7. Preschool education coverage currently stands at 79.2 per cent, with a shortage of 65,000 kindergarten places. To address this gap, plans are in place to create 8,000 additional places through the national budget and 32,000 through the local budget by 2030, raising coverage to 92 per cent.

For the 2026/2027 academic year, projects have been prepared for 28 new kindergartens of five different types, with a combined capacity of 16,000 children and a total area of 32,000 square metres.

The updated kindergarten designs incorporate 14 new features aimed at supporting children’s development and health. These include sensory and speech therapy rooms, spaces for psychological and educational support, medical facilities and multifunctional halls for various activities.

The facilities will also feature video surveillance systems and impact-absorbing surfaces to enhance children’s safety, as well as air purifiers to create a more comfortable environment. Energy-efficient lighting and solar panels are also planned. These improvements will increase the efficiency of standard kindergarten designs by 38 per cent.

The presentation also featured a project to develop Uchtepa City, a modern business centre in Uchtepa district, through foreign direct investment. The 37-hectare project will be implemented in two phases. During the first phase, the investor will allocate $1 billion to construction across 26 hectares. The second phase will involve the construction of residential buildings and service facilities on the remaining 11 hectares.

The centre will feature multi-storey residential buildings, offices, a shopping and entertainment complex, an internationally branded hotel and a landscaped walking area.

An architectural concept for the Uzbek-Turkish Friendship Park and Ataturk Street was also presented.

The Head of State instructed responsible officials to further refine the proposed projects, considering the needs of residents and urban planning requirements.