DUSHANBE, June 30, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Dushanbe authorities intend to initiate introduction of restriction on the population size of the capital city.  According to them, Dushanbe’s population should not exceed 1 million people.

The 18th session of the Dushanbe legislature (Majlis), presided over by its head, Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev, was held on June 30.

During the session, it was noted that the city’s population has been increasing from year to year, while an opportunity to increase the capital city’s territory due to neighboring districts has been exhausted.

“We managed to increase Dushanbe’s territory little more due to the territory of the Roudaki district, bringing it to 13,000 hectares,” said Mayor Ubaidulloyev, “Now, because of the geographical location of Dushanbe we do not have such opportunities any more; therefore, we plan to apply to the government with solicitation to make amendments to the appropriate laws.”

According to the State Committee for Statistics, as of January 1, 2009, Dushanbe had the population of 695,000 people.   

Speaking at the session, the mayor also noted that a group of top managers of Russia’s Federal State Unitary Company, Giprogor, would arrive in Dushanbe on July 1 to discuss improvement of the municipal redevelopment plan for Dushanbe.

We will recall that Giprogor has been granted a contract for elaboration of the municipal redevelopment plan for the Tajik capital city.  The Dushanbe mayor’s office announced a tender for elaboration of the municipal redevelopment plan in May this year and Giprogor won the tender.  In late June, Mayor Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev signed an appropriate resolution on allocation of 415,000 U.S. dollars from the city budget for the municipal redevelopment plan.