The implementation of the general reconstruction plan of the capital of Tajikistan, or the so-called “Dushanbe General Plan”, sometimes raises disputes between apartment owners and construction companies. Residents consider the compensation for their houses, which must be destroyed, insufficient, the companies do not explain the issue, but continue their work.
Snezhana Golubeva, a resident of Nisar Mohammadi Street in the capital, has been in dispute with the “Oriono Sokhtmon” company for almost a year. He is unhappy that the builder offered insufficient amount for his apartment.
“The appraiser did not tell us that one square meter should be 600 dollars – an offer that was given to us by the company. We contacted an independent appraiser. They said that while the court rates the houses, we consider the new house and the place of residence. “In the area where we live, one square meter costs at least 1,500 dollars,” he worried. Golubeva says that the court has banned the demolition of her apartment building, but the company continues to work.
Such a dispute between Bibisuraya Sharifova, another resident of the capital, and the construction company “Elit Stroy Servis” has been going on for almost a year and a half. This company wants to demolish his house on “Abdullah-komandir” street and build a high-rise apartment in its place. The court ordered the company to pay Bibisuraya 1 million 100 thousand somoni in exchange for her apartment, but the woman has another demand. He said: “They don’t want to give us a house from the same building they want to build, they offer us a small amount of money and tell us to vacate the house.”
Now dozens of Dushanbe residents have the same problem. The main complaint is the inadequacy of the companies’ offer in exchange for the removal of their homes. They complain that the officials of the companies, without agreement with them, start destroying their houses and “grossly violate” their rights.
A high-rise building should be built instead of the Soviet-era building where Farrukh Iskandarov, a resident of Dushanbe, lives. However, the demolition of the building began without the consent of the owners.
Iskandarov said: “despite the fact that we live in this building, they come and destroy our house and tear the roofs of our building. Neither the telephone nor the transmitters work.” Lawyers say that no person or company has the right to demolish houses until such disputes are resolved.
In the capital of Tajikistan and other cities, there are many disputes related to new and old housing. Every now and then, residents complain that construction companies demolish their homes and offer meager compensation. Architects say that the only way is for the construction company and the apartment owners to come to an agreement based on the market price.
On the other hand, people should be shown the plans for the reconstruction of the city and their homes in advance. Rustam Muqimov, doctor of architectural sciences and lecturer at the Polytechnic University, told Radio Ozodi in an interview:
“During the Soviet era, mahallas and districts were built at the expense of the state budget, and up to two or three mahallas were built and used a year. They provided housing for several thousand people. Today, state construction has decreased significantly. According to my personal reports, almost 90 “percent of the buildings are owned by private companies. However, these houses do not satisfy the population. Companies build high-rise or new and low-cost houses with the intention of making as much income as possible, sometimes they do not meet the architectural standards.”
In the past, some officials have suggested that an independent house pricing body be established in the country to eliminate disputes. Because there are several expert opinions about a building, which makes it difficult for the courts to determine the real value of the house.
But a study by the “Independent Center for the Protection of Human Rights” showed that in most cases the courts were not independent when considering such cases. Most of the respondents said that they do not take housing disputes to court in most cases.
“Because they do not believe in themselves and are afraid that the problem will not become bigger than it is.” As Shokirjon Hakimov, a Tajik lawyer, says: “in Tajikistan, where the method of one roof and two airs has become a reality of our culture, some construction companies do not recognize judicial justice in Tajikistan by abusing their connections with the decision-making center or through corrupt relations.”
The problem of providing residents with housing is considered to be the number one problem in Tajikistan. The price of one square meter of a house in multi-storey buildings in Dushanbe ranges from 400 to 1800 dollars. Experts say that if we compare it to the income of the population, “the difference will be heaven and earth”, and apparently the arguments for the house are not unreasonable either.
Source : Радио Озоди