Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Tashkent has 61 illegally built apartment blocks, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services said on 22 October, clarifying figures published earlier.
According to the ministry, more than 320 illegally constructed buildings and structures have been identified in the capital. These include various types of properties, such as individual houses, small shops, retail kiosks and pavilions.
The ministry explained that the previously reported total number of identified construction sites had been mistakenly presented as the number of illegally built apartment blocks. It apologised for the inaccuracy and urged journalists and social media authors to use the revised figures.
However, the ministry did not explain the discrepancy between the new figures and an earlier statement by Construction and Housing and Communal Services Minister Sherzod Khidoyatov, who reported that more than 720 illegally built apartment blocks had been identified in the capital.
Background on illegal construction
On 13 October, Khidoyatov told a Government Hour session in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis that Tashkent had more than 720 apartment blocks constructed without permits from architectural authorities.
According to the minister, some developers had built housing on land acquired through auctions before the capital’s master plan was approved in late 2024. He also said the Prosecutor General’s Office was handling problematic construction projects.
Khidoyatov said procedures were being developed to allow such buildings to be commissioned. To qualify, they would have to comply with urban planning requirements, including standards for children’s playgrounds and parking spaces. Their structural strength would also be assessed through instrumental inspections.
The minister had previously urged residents to check whether a property was registered in the Transparent Construction system, known in Uzbek as “Shaffof Qurilish,” before buying an apartment.
According to Khidoyatov, such checks can help reduce risks related to the legality of construction and the seismic safety of buildings.
