Samarkand’s “mushroom house” demolition begins following court ruling (video)

On July 28, news spread on social media that demolition had begun on a 12-story building in Samarkand, popularly known as the “mushroom house.” The Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services responded to the situation.

It was reported that in the “Joyisoy” neighborhood of the Samarkand district, citizen Furqat Halilov partially demolished his home and built a hotel in its place without obtaining the required urban planning documents.

The following violations were identified in the construction process:

•  No resolution was issued by the Samarkand district khokim or permission granted by the district construction department.
•  No architectural planning assignment (APZ) was prepared.
•  Engineering, geological, design, and estimate documents were not fully developed or approved.
•  The project did not pass the Urban Planning Council in the prescribed manner.
•  The act transferring the master plan of the hotel complex to a physical site was not formalized.
•  Clause 2.4 of the Minister of Construction’s order on urban planning norms was not fulfilled.
•  Passports and certificates of conformity for the construction materials were not provided.
•  Required acts for witnessing closed works, per clauses 7.8 and 9.9 of SNHQ 3.01.01-03, were not submitted.

 Experts concluded that the building did not meet seismic safety standards.

Despite these shortcomings and the lack of primary urban planning documentation, “Konstant Proyekt” LLC did not fully develop the project documentation. Nonetheless, the private expert organization “Triumph Project” LLC issued a conclusion approving the incomplete documents without primary permits.

Although the district construction department and the territorial inspection repeatedly instructed Halilov to halt construction, he continued the work unlawfully. In 2016, “SVP MASKAN” LLC, which holds a license to construct hotels, assessed the building’s condition and recommended developing design documentation to reinforce the beams and concrete frames. However, no such project was developed, and no positive expert conclusion was obtained.

On May 6, 2022, a seismic inspection was conducted by specialists from “Uzogirsanoatloyiha” JSC and the territorial inspection. Based on their findings, it was confirmed that the building’s utilities, external networks, and structures failed to meet construction regulations. Cracks were also found in some of the support columns, leading to a formal recommendation for demolition.

The Republican Commission supported this conclusion, and on July 6, 2022, the Toylok Interdistrict Court for Civil Affairs ruled that Furqat Halilov must demolish the illegally constructed 12-story hotel at his own expense. The decision was submitted for enforcement.

It is worth noting that Halilov had earlier appealed to the President for assistance in preserving the building. Reportedly, construction began in 2012, with concrete work completed by 2015. From 2015 to 2017, decorative works were carried out, and the building was finished without black plaster. However, no official approval from the mayor’s office or other state authorities was obtained—only letters of consent from five neighboring households.

QALAMPIR.UZ reached out to the construction supervision inspection regarding the situation. The agency stated it had no information on how the demolition would be carried out but confirmed that the Samarkand district administration had filed a lawsuit, and the demolition would proceed according to the court’s decision.