Illustrative photo
Irina Grishechkina, Deputy Director of the St. Petersburg Scientific Research Institute of Prospective Urban Development and one of the authors of the project, drew attention to the key problems facing the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
According to her, Bishkek is experiencing a serious imbalance between the growing population, chaotic construction, and a lack of social infrastructure.
Currently, individual construction predominates, which is related to the annexation of new territories, causing the city's area to nearly double. Additionally, there are still large plots within the city designated for agriculture.
According to statistics, the labor resources of the capital amount to 886 thousand people, of which about 600 thousand are actively employed. There is also a reserve of about 70 thousand people of working age who are not employed.
Irina Grishechkina notes that many of them cannot find work, possibly staying home with children, indicating a lack of social infrastructure.
The most pressing issue is the lag in the construction of social facilities compared to the pace of residential construction. Multi-story buildings are being erected without consideration for the needs of educational and medical institutions.
Experts estimate that the availability of kindergartens in Bishkek is only 30 percent, and schools — just 50 percent. As a result, children are forced to study in three, and sometimes four, five, or even six shifts.
There is also a significant shortage of clinics, hospitals, and ambulance stations. In this regard, the developers of the General Plan propose to increase the number of social facilities.
Furthermore, it has been noted that Bishkek has lost 22 historical monuments, three art objects, and 27 architectural landmarks in recent years. These objects were stripped of their status to make way for new construction.
Irina Grishechkina calls for the preservation of the city's historical appearance. She emphasizes that if the historical sites and ensembles of medium- and low-rise buildings associated with green zones are lost, there will no longer be any historical places left in the center of Kyrgyzstan's capital. Restoring them will be impossible.
