The key facts

  • New Karshi: 5,000 hectares (5,200 hectares per the press service), designed for 500,000 residents, with a long-term outlook of 1 million
  • 'New Nasaf': 235 hectares along the Karshi main canal, implemented in four stages
  • 20 billion sums allocated for the master plans, to be developed within two months with the involvement of foreign architectural companies

A new city and an eco-complex

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, at a meeting on the socio-economic development of Kashkadarya region on October 22, announced two major projects — the city of New Karshi and the 'New Nasaf' ecological complex. According to him, as the region's population grows, so does the demand for modern housing. New Karshi will be located at the junction of the city of Karshi, Kukdala and Karshi districts on an area of 5,000 hectares and will be designed for 500,000 residents. 'New Nasaf' will be built on 235 hectares on the bank of a canal in the Karshi district.

Master plan and development principles

Reputable architectural bureaus and construction firms will be engaged to implement the projects. Development of the master plans, taking into account advanced urban planning solutions, is expected to begin within two months; 20 billion sums have been initially allocated for their preparation. The new settlements will feature multi-story residential buildings, shopping and business centers, and development will follow the principles of a 'green' and 'smart' city.

Details from the presidential press service

According to the presidential press service, an area of 5,200 hectares has been selected for New Karshi to the southeast of the regional center, between the A-378 Samarkand — Guzar highway and the 4R-79 route to Shakhrisabz; most of it consists of unused desert and pasture lands with low bonitet. The preliminary master plan is based on a population of 500,000, but Mirziyoyev noted the need to plan the city as a major center with a long-term outlook of 1 million residents. New Karshi is positioned as a modern extension of the regional center: the khokimiyat and other government institutions are planned to be located there, as well as hotels, concert halls and a congress hall for international forums. The task has been set to launch public electric transport from the airport and the railway station, and, if necessary, a surface metro line.

The 'New Nasaf' tourist complex

The tourist complex project along the Karshi main canal envisions the creation of a three-kilometer zone on 235 hectares of land. Implementation is divided into four stages: in the first, a craftsmen's town and a tourist zone with a total area of 30 hectares will be built. As part of the complex, hotels, restaurants and shops, a museum, a water park, children's playgrounds and an artificial lake for boat rides will appear in stages. The city's master plan and the tourist complex's master plan are to be developed with the involvement of leading foreign design and architectural companies, based on the principles of safety, comfort, accessibility and a 'smart city'.

Ecology and tourism

The region will establish the 'Kashkadarya experience' in planting saplings and expanding green zones. Every year on the eve of Navruz, a 'Greenest Mahalla' contest will be held, with winners awarded electric vehicles and other valuable prizes. According to the president, the region can host 6 million tourists a year: since the beginning of the year, 2.5 million tourists have visited the region, and the village of Gelon — 500,000 people. The first stage of a ski resort in Gelon is planned to be launched with Tatarstan next year. Six villages (Taragay, Bashir, Tatar, Sayod, Suvtushar and Gelon) have been tasked with preparing master plans within a month and starting projects worth 50 million dollars from March 1. Also, every spring, gastronomic festivals 'Lola and Kabob' in Guzar and 'Chiyal Yakhna' in Kukdala will take place.

Education and robotics

The meeting also noted achievements: the presidential school in Karshi took first place in the country with a 98% result on Cambridge exams, an 11th-grade student from the Kasan district, Murodjon Khalimov, scored the maximum 1600 points on the SAT, and students of the Abdulla Aripov school of creativity won the 'Zakovat' tournament. Starting next year, exact sciences will be taught in a foreign language in at least one school in each district. In addition, Uzbekistan's youth became world champions in robotics; by the end of the year, robotics clubs will open in every district, and every March a regional championship will be held with prizes of 30, 20 and 10 million sums for first, second and third places respectively.