Provincials? Minister reveals main cause of traffic jams in Tashkent

Nearly one million vehicles move through the streets of Tashkent every day, becoming the main source of traffic congestion. This was stated by Uzbekistan’s Minister of Transport, Ilhom Makhkamov, in his response to a parliamentary inquiry from Erkin Gadoev, Chairman of the Senate Committee on reducing traffic congestion in the capital.

According to the ministry, over the past two years, large-scale reforms have been carried out in Tashkent to provide convenient transportation services for residents. In particular, 1,004 new modern buses have been purchased for the city’s bus fleets, increasing the total number of vehicles to 1,847. The intervals between buses have been reduced by half, while the number of passengers has increased 2.2 times, reaching 1.4 million per day. As a result, the use of nearly 140,000 private cars and taxis has decreased.

Dedicated bus lanes have been established on 31 streets across the city. A total of 142 buses operate on these routes, making nearly 22,000 trips per day. According to estimates, thanks to the time saved on these routes alone, around 800,000 passengers have benefited from improved convenience.

It was noted that in order to reduce traffic congestion in Tashkent, increase the attractiveness of public transport, and ensure its priority on the roads, comprehensive measures are being taken across 73 main streets, the city’s key transport arteries. These measures include prioritizing public transport movement, creating convenient and safe infrastructure for pedestrians, and implementing efficient traffic management systems such as smart traffic lights.

It was reported that to improve public transport accessibility for residents of the Tashkent agglomeration, new bus routes are being launched to the suburban areas. Additionally, 200 new electric buses are expected to arrive in October this year, while another 1,000 modern buses are planned to be added to the city’s fleet in 2026.

With the arrival of these buses, 48 new and renovated routes will be launched, improving connectivity between the city and the surrounding areas. For this purpose, the construction of three modern bus depots is planned in the New Tashkent area.

It was emphasized that once these measures are implemented, a total of 2,891 buses will operate in Tashkent, and the passenger transport volume will reach up to 750 million. The introduction of new routes, electric buses, and smart management systems is expected to make public transport in the capital more comfortable and efficient.

It is worth noting that earlier, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on budget and economic issues, Erkin Gadoev, blamed residents from other regions for the growing traffic congestion in Tashkent.