In the village of Novopavlovka, which has just become part of Bishkek, there is a danger of losing part of the cemetery due to the expansion of Profsoyuznaya Street. This decision is expected to help reduce the load on transport routes to the new Osh market, the Western bus station, and Manas Airport.
In 2017, the city hall extended Profsoyuznaya, merging it with Fuchik and Kustanayskaya Streets. However, now, several years later, the authorities have decided to extend it further towards MTU "Novopavlovka," which required the demolition of illegal buildings along the new route. The problem is that the section of the road passes through a cemetery where the relatives of the villagers, who have recently become city dwellers, are buried.
What is more important: the memory of ancestors or private property?
The cemetery, located between Korsakov Street and a ravine, is the final resting place of veterans of the Great Patriotic War and many other important figures for the village. The last burials here were conducted in 2024, after which the cemetery was closed.
Previously, there was a buffer zone and fields around the cemetery, but after the 2005 revolution, these lands were built up with private houses, which were legalized only recently. Now most owners have documents confirming their rights.
The city hall claims that the road can either go through the cemetery or bypass it. But this has caused outrage: the residents of Novopavlovka oppose the use of the cemetery, while the owners of the new buildings do not want to part with their property.
The mayor calls for thinking about the living, but residents worry about the dead
Disputes and misunderstandings arise at meetings. The visit of Mayor Aibek Junushaliev did not resolve the acute problem, although he promised to take into account the opinions of all stakeholders.
“No one is to blame — neither you nor your parents. But the city must develop. Let’s think about the living,”
Aibek Junushaliev
He also suggested holding the next meeting in a more convenient format so that everyone has the opportunity to express their views.
Aibek Junushaliev noted that the new route will become a key international transport corridor that will relieve the load on the Vasilievsky tract and provide convenient access to the airport. He also mentioned that this project has been postponed multiple times in the past.
Although the capital continues to grow and develop, the residents of Novopavlovka fear that building a road through the cemetery will have serious consequences for the memory of their ancestors.
“The cemetery director allowed burials until 2024; we have documents. What are we supposed to do with our relatives buried where the road is planned? Dig them up and re-bury them at our own expense?” — local residents wonder.
So far, the authorities have not provided any assurances, which has led to rumors and speculation. People are standing guard at the cemetery to protect it.
“You can’t build a road on bones; it will bring nothing good,” — some locals assert.
Unusual proposals: to pack the remains in bags
According to residents, a road of this level requires a width of at least 30 meters, which implies the reburial of many graves.
“I can’t imagine how this will happen. A few years ago, I buried my mother, and now I will have to go through this again,” — one woman expresses her outrage.
The woman also mentions that at a recent meeting, someone made a shocking proposal: to invite foreign specialists to dig up the remains, pack them in bags, and hand them over to relatives.
The cemetery has been functioning for over 60 years and has become a burial place for people of various nationalities and faiths.
“The Muslim part of the cemetery is separated from the Orthodox part by a ditch, but we always remember both, as many acquaintances are buried here,” — local residents share.
25 years of peace: what Sharia says
Local residents hope that the problem can be resolved without pain. Nevertheless, there is a Sharia law stating that the territory of a closed cemetery can only be used for construction 25 years after the last burial.
At the moment, Novopavlovka is faced with a choice that goes beyond urban planning solutions. This is not only a matter of transport infrastructure and the development of Bishkek, but also reflections on what price society is willing to pay for this progress. For local residents, the cemetery is not just land, but a symbol of memory and respect for those who lived before them.
People expect concrete and transparent solutions from the authorities that take into account laws, traditions, and human feelings.
The majority of residents believe that changing the route of the road without affecting the cemetery would be a compromise solution capable of easing tensions and maintaining peace in society.
At the moment, the issue remains open, and its resolution will affect not only the fate of the road but also the trust of local residents in the authorities.
