President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed projects for the construction of New Karshi city and the development of a tourism complex along the Karshi Main Canal, according to the presidential press service. A 5,200-hectare site has been selected for the new city, with a preliminary master plan designed to accommodate 500,000 residents. The president instructed officials to plan the city as a major urban center capable of accommodating up to 1mn people in the future.
The proposed city will be located between the A-378 highway connecting Samarkand and Guzar and the 4R-79 road leading to Shahrisabz. The selected territory consists of underutilized desert and pasture land with low soil productivity.
The preliminary master plan provides for a population of 500,000 people. However, Mirziyoyev emphasized the need to develop New Karshi as a major city that could eventually accommodate 1mn residents and serve as a modern alternative to the existing city of Karshi. Plans also include relocating the Kashkadarya regional administration, or hokimiyat, and other government agencies to the new city.
New Karshi will include a tourism center with a congress hall, concert venues and hotels. The facilities are intended to accommodate major international forums similar to those held in Samarkand and Bukhara. During the presentation, Mirziyoyev emphasized the need to ensure convenient transport connections between the new city and other regions.
He instructed officials to establish an electric public transport system connecting the airport and railway station to New Karshi. An above-ground metro was mentioned as a possible option for the transport network.
The president also reviewed a project to establish a tourism complex along the Karshi Main Canal. A total of 235 hectares has been allocated for the project, which includes the construction of a three-kilometer-long promenade. The development will be implemented in four stages.
The first stage will involve the construction of an artisans' town and a tourism zone covering 30 hectares. The planned complex will feature hotels, restaurants, shops, a museum, a water park, children's playgrounds and an artificial lake for boating.
Following the presentation, Mirziyoyev instructed officials to thoroughly develop the master plans for New Karshi and the tourism complex. He emphasized the importance of involving reputable foreign design and architectural companies in the planning process. According to the presidential press service, the projects should be developed based on principles of safety, convenience, affordability and smart city concepts.