Tashkent Mayor Cites Road Overload as Main Cause of Traffic Jams

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Shavkat Umurzakov, Mayor of Tashkent, has identified road network congestion, the rapid growth of vehicles, and the absence of a single authority responsible for managing road infrastructure as the primary causes of traffic jams in the capital.

According to Umurzakov, the city’s transport system was designed for around 400,000 vehicles moving simultaneously, while over one million cars traverse the streets daily.

Currently, six different agencies oversee road maintenance and operations, making it difficult to implement a coordinated development strategy.

Drawing on the experiences of megacities such as Seoul, Shenzhen, Dubai, and Moscow, authorities have developed a comprehensive traffic optimization program centered on the creation of a unified management center. This center will develop a master plan accounting for all modes of transport and real passenger flows.

The integrated system will provide residents with information on optimal routes and transfer options, while passengers will receive advance notifications about roadworks and alternative directions.

The digitalization initiative is expected to reduce traffic congestion by 30–40% and cut harmful emissions by approximately 15%.

The issue was also raised during a presidential meeting in July 2025, when President Shavkat Mirziyoyev shared that he experienced a 20-minute traffic jam while driving in the city center on a weekend — highlighting the daily challenges faced by Tashkent residents.

Pilot implementation of the system is set to begin this year, with plans to expand the project to other regions by 2030.