President of Uzbekistan Inspects Renovated Zarkainar Street and Tourism Facilities in Tashkent’s Old City

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 23 January, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed the operations of tourism and service facilities established along Zarkainar Street in the Hastimom mahalla of Tashkent’s Almazar District.

It was noted that tourism is one of the sectors capable of creating a significant number of jobs with relatively modest investment, increasing household incomes and comprehensively improving the appearance of urban areas. The capital city possesses substantial potential for the development of this sector.

To fully harness this potential, a large-scale project covering an area of 447 hectares is being implemented in the Almazar District. As part of the initiative, tourism and service facilities are planned for six district-level streets uniting 15 mahallas.

The works carried out on Zarkainar Street form an integral part of this project. The area’s distinctive character has been shaped over centuries by its historical appearance, national architectural traditions and strong craft heritage.

Using 150 billion soums from the republican budget, 576 residential houses were restored in a traditional national architectural style, allowing the renewed development to blend harmoniously into the historic environment. At the same time, one hundred entrepreneurs invested 166 billion soums in the creation of seven hotels, eight restaurants, five craft centers, one shopping complex and 125 service-sector enterprises. As a result, around 1,500 people have been provided with permanent employment.

During the inspection of the renovated street, the President familiarized himself with the improved public spaces, residential buildings renovated in line with national architectural traditions, as well as the conditions created for local residents and visitors to the city.

The head of state held a warm and candid conversation with local residents, tourists and craftsmen.

The President emphasized that the development of tourism must rest on a solid foundation. He noted that traditional crafts are among the key areas reflecting national identity, and that providing artisans with everything necessary for production is a direct responsibility of the state.

He also stressed the importance of training qualified personnel and proposed considering the feasibility of establishing a university of craftsmanship, as well as holding dedicated meetings with representatives of the crafts community.

Relevant officials were given specific instructions on the further development of tourism and services, stimulating economic activity while ensuring the preservation of the historic appearance of mahallas and forming a sustainable system oriented toward the interests of the population.

As part of the visit, the President was presented with the master plan for the Almazor innovation growth area. The presentation included the spatial development concept, the results of a needs assessment and solutions for functional zoning of the territory.

According to the master plan, it is envisaged to form “development corridors” covering education and innovation, tourism and trade, cultural heritage, business and IT services.

Plans also include the integrated connection of the Old City area with the Student Town, universities and technoparks, healthcare facilities, the Center of Islamic Civilization, the Hazrati Imam complex, Chorsu market and the historic center of the capital.

The northern business part of the district is set to see the development of office infrastructure, an IT park and business centers.

The goal of implementing the master plan is to preserve historical heritage while simultaneously developing modern infrastructure and elevating the economic potential and urban environment of the Almazar District to a qualitatively new level.

The President noted that a master plan should be developed for each street for a period of at least five years. He emphasized that, having studied international experience at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he became convinced that it is possible to develop the urban environment while preserving existing development and taking local conditions into account.

In this regard, the head of state proposed developing a separate comprehensive program titled “Old City,” aimed at preserving and developing the historic part of the capital.