Uzbekistan: Charvak will get a master plan and protection from chaotic development

The Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan initiated the development of a master plan for the development of the Charvak zone and the introduction of a moratorium on new construction outside the approved sites. The reason was the risk of destruction of the reservoir ecosystem caused by fragmented and uncontrolled development, which has been actively conducted since the Soviet era and has increased in recent years.

Minister of Ecology Aziz Abdukhakimov stressed that the lack of a unified strategy for spatial development leads to environmental and infrastructural distortions. Land was issued through auctions, for farmers ' needs, or on the basis of court decisions, bypassing complex planning. In most cases, the protected area around the reservoir is not protected. To eliminate this practice, it is necessary, as the Minister noted, to approve a clear general plan, determine the permissible development zones and close all other territories for green spaces.

The Ministry of Construction and Housing and Utilities confirmed that work on the master plan is being carried out as part of a large-scale project for the development of the entire Tashkent region. The document covers the territory of the reservoir, as well as priority zones, and will be submitted by the end of this year. Both domestic and foreign specialists — from China, Turkey and the UK-are working on the project.

The plan provides for not only zoning, but also mandatory requirements for investors to green adjacent plots. This is especially true in mountainous areas, where slope areas remain unprotected. Priority will be given to creating comfortable places for recreation of the population, with minimal interference in the natural landscape.

According to the ministry, the flow of tourists to Charvak is inevitable: this is the only major destination for mass recreation near Tashkent. Even without capital construction, the zone is experiencing a serious load: cars, tents, spontaneous sales points create problems not only for the environment, but also for the image of the region as a tourist cluster. According to rough estimates, Uzbek citizens annually spend more than one billion dollars abroad on vacation. This makes the creation of a full-fledged resort infrastructure within the country not just desirable, but strategically necessary.

Special attention was paid to the Sea Breeze Uzbekistan project, which is planned to be implemented on a plot of about 500 hectares. Despite the investor's interest, the project has not yet been officially approved. The Ministry of Ecology has not received any project documentation and stressed that construction is impossible without passing all the expert examinations. At the moment, the site is undergoing work on clearing and improving the territory, without major intervention.

The experience of international resorts, including Baku Sea Breeze, where construction begins only after the creation of a green framework and equipped public areas, is proposed to be adopted in Uzbek practice. Abdukhakimov, who visited the site in Azerbaijan, insists on the priority of landscaping and an environmentally friendly approach in the design and construction of tourist areas in Uzbekistan.

The introduction of a moratorium, approval of the master plan, commitments on landscaping and modernization of recreation infrastructure-all this will become the basis for the sustainable development of the Charvak zone, ensure the protection of natural resources and reduce the outflow of tourist capital abroad.