As city maintenance workers are excavating roads and digging trenches to reinstall drainage system treys, new electricity cables are being laid underground.
Deputy hokim (mayor) of Tashkent city, head of the Main Directorate of the Housing and Public Utilities Service of the Tashkent Mr. Shokhrukh Rakhimdjanov in an interview with Gazeta.uz said works are being conducted in accordance with the presidential decree on supplying the population with electricity that came into force this March.
Renovations are taking place in multiple parts of the city summoning 320 km. Cables with 35−110kV voltage are being laid, said Mr. Rakhimdjanov. Besides, five substations are constructed; four renovated.
Amir Temur Avenue.
“We are working hard to avoid situations that happened this winter, so that we don’t have blackouts. Works of this scale are being done for the first time,” said Shokhrukh Rahkhimdjanov.
According to the project, 903 km of power lines and 228 transformers will be changed. Total 2,969 km of low-voltage lines and 703 transformer stations will be renewed until 2025.
To prevent massive floods coming with heavy downpour, hokimiyat is changing drainage system treys. Gazeta.uz subscribers reported that old trees are damaged due to digging.
Roots touched by workers near Anhor canal.
One subscriber wrote a message, stating that he reported to regional department of ecology after witnessing injured tree roots. Inspector informed the workers about penalties.
Abdusalom Normatov, a researcher at the Forestry Research Institute told Gazeta.uz that trees may be under danger if the trench was dug by a bucket excavator, not a rotary. [However], we need to look at tree species, he said. According to the researcher, poplar with open roots would not be under risk. Even if roots are cut, trees need plenty of water to recover.
Tatyana Yugay, Uzbekistan’s Association of Landscape Art also said no danger is posed to trees.
Past year, while reconstructing Chilanzar street, workers damaged around 100 trees. The General Prosecutor’s office opened a criminal case on the fact of intentional damage. Hokim and public prosecutor were fired, former city khokim and prosecutor were reprimanded.
