On February 4, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov visited the capital’s khyakimlik to conduct a meeting devoted to topical issues and prospects for development of the country’s capital. The meeting was mainly focused on the 2015-2016 Ashgabat Development Conception, which would define the key areas of modernization of all the infrastructure, housing and communal services, stages of architectural and construction activities, the measures for enhancing investment potential in all main life-supporting spheres of the megapolis, ranging from industry, transport-communications and finance-and-banking sectors to science, sport, and tourism. Prior to the meeting, the President of Turkmenistan familiarized himself with projects of the capital’s further development, including residential areas, social- and cultural-purpose objects, highways, park zones, sports facilities, and others. Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Manager of the Affairs Management Department of the President’s and Cabinet’s Administration Sh. Durdylyev in detail reported to President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov on the planned work on renovating Ashgabat’s socio-economic infrastructure. While closely examining the capital’s prospective development map, the leader of nation displayed interest in some projects, having focused his attention on the functionality of their location. A number of issues concerning the course of construction of the Olympic Village, which is to become another important center of the capital, were also considered. The head of state also pointed out the unsystematic character of old infill development, having stressed inadmissibility of similar chaotic construction in the new epoch and the necessity of general adoption of the complex city planning principles. Our capital should develop harmoniously and systematically, said the Turkmen leader, having given the issue-related recommendations. Then, Ashgabat city’s khyakim R. Nurmammedov informed about the construction works under way in the capital. Clipboards with the project designs of facilities and buildings, planned to be opened in Ashgabat city in 2015, were presented for consideration by the leader of nation. The list approved by the President of Turkmenistan at the extended meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on January 9, includes over 60 items and many more projects. Among them are 19 projects erected only within the framework of the 2nd phase of the Olympic Village construction, including a 450-capacity hotel for honored guests (VIP visitors), as well as another hotel for sportsmen and a residential building, a 45,000-seat Olympic stadium, a 5,000-seat indoor athletic arena, and others. A building of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry with a Congress Center, a 3,000-seat Theatre and Concert Center are also being prepared for inauguration. Ashgabat’s park areas will be replenished with “Arkadag” and “Archabil” Parks. Among the objects to be opened in 2015 are health care facilities as well. They include the renovated building of the International Medical Center and its new building, the Training and Research Center of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, a complex of buildings of the Research and Clinical Center for Maternal and Child Healthcare. The construction of the Experimental-Production and Food Center, the Morphology and Neurology Centers, the Center for Extremely Dangerous Diseases Control and Prevention (scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2016) is well under way. New buildings are expected for the country’s education system as well: a building of the A. Kekilov Teachers’ College, a 3,000-seat complex of buildings of the International Turkmen-Turkish University and the Joint Turkmen-Turkish School. This year, the Printing Center of the State Publishing Service will also be put into operation. Scores of administrative buildings and high-rise residential buildings under construction in Oguzkhan Street within the framework of the 13th phase (against the order of various agencies) are expected to be ceremonially inaugurated. On the clipboards are photographs of 66-apartment and 44-apartment 12-story residential buildings; each of them will also accommodate a shop. The new residential area will also include two 600-seat secondary schools, two kindergartens, a health house, a shopping and entertainment center, two 200-car multi-level parking lots with a sales and service center, a consumer service enterprise. Then project designs of 66-apartment and 44-apartment 12-storey dwelling houses with shops (to be constructed within the framework of the 14th phase), renovation projects for the roads between Bitarap Turkmenistan and Garashsyzlyk Avenues, as well as between Oguzkhan and 1971(G. Ezizov) Streets were presented. This year, the 15th phase of the Ashgabat Redevelopment Program, including a large complex of 2-story cottages (208), scores of 3-, 4- and 12-story dwelling houses, schools, a kindergarten, parks, shops and others, will start. Project designs of different-type cottages with a different number of stories were displayed on the clipboards. In the residential area Parahat-7, the capital’s large construction site, 9-storey apartment buildings will be erected. The large residential neighborhood will boast several schools and kindergartens, health houses, and other social facilities. The Master Plan of a new modern village under construction in Derveze etrap of Akhal velayat was submitted. It envisages the construction of 1,536 farms, a school, a kindergarten, trade and service rendering enterprises, three parks and other infrastructure projects. Besides, development plans for the housing sector in Keshi, and construction of cottages in Choganly were demonstrated. The Master Plan of the works on renovating Ashgabat’s road and transport infrastructure, including construction of bridges, underpasses and overpasses was presented separately. In view of the capital’s intensive automobilization, the number of parking spaces is planned to be increased significantly; open-air parking lots and multi-level parking garages are projected for construction. The clipboards also displayed reconstruction plans for a number of administrative buildings, enterprises and residential areas in all etraps of the city. Besides, the projects designed for enhancing reliability of power supply in Ashgabat, including the 2015-2016 Program for the replacement of overhead transmission lines with underground cables were also submitted. This will make it possible to free the city from overhead power supply networks and lines, and to start applying high-capacity underground cable lines. These and many other projects are a striking illustration of the impressive scope of construction and improvement works under way in the country’s capital. In this regard, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov stressed, it is important not only to construct, but also to ensure efficient operation of the facilities, their proper and rational use, professional service, and competent management. In this connection, the head of state made critical remarks to the address of the leaders of the city and etrap administrations, who are responsible for practical tackling the issues. This also refers to the quality of materials, the leader of nation continued, having stressed that only materials, which meet all high requirements and standards should be used in construction of projects, and their cost should be reasonable as ill-considered expenditures lead to the rise in the cost of construction. The main criterion is to construct qualitatively, reliably and beautifully, creating the most comfortable conditions for the people. Having pointed out some other problematic factors in the activity of the city’s administrative and municipal structures, the head of state commissioned to mobilize the available resources to tackle the large-scale tasks for the capital’s harmonious development. Further, the meeting continued in the conference hall of the khyakimlik. Addressing the audience, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has noted that the radical reforms which have been carried out in the country in the last few years, bring positive results. We attach great significance to the capital’s development; invest billions in development of Ashgabat. As the nation’s leader highlighted, world-known foreign companies are involved in the construction of municipal buildings and facilities. It has enabled to create the original, magnificent architectural look of the capital. A number of its buildings have already been included in the Guinness World Records. Ashgabat has taken a well-deserved place in the reference book, listing outstanding achievements, as the city with the world’s highest density of white marble-clad buildings. Speaking of the fact that there are only two years left until the large sports event - the V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Game, the head of state has focused attention of the meeting participants on the enormous amount of preparatory work for the Games. Having stressed that the venue for the Asian Games-2017 will become a true “city in the city”, the President of Turkmenistan has expressed confidence that the Olympic Village will be one of the most favorite places in the capital, a symbol of Ashgabat in its way. In this context, the nation’s leader has highlighted that the thorough preparations for the V Asian Games should not be just limited to the construction of modern buildings and facilities. We should ensure proper order in the city, the head of Turkmen state said, emphasizing the fact that there are numerous shortcomings in the work of the capital’s etrap khyakimliks, which give rise to dissatisfaction among the residents and cause for their complaints. In continuation of the subject, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has underlined that in all etraps of Ashgabat, the work on planting trees in streets, parks and in whole, on creating floristic “decoration” and landscaping is not organized efficiently. Even, the central avenues are far from being perfect to make up for these shortcomings. In this connection, the head of state commissioned to organize efficient work of specialists on landscaping the city’s avenues. Almost in all etraps of the capital, order in the microdistricts does not meet generally accepted standards, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov continued, having made concrete remarks, including on the condition of some buildings’ facade, lighting of a number of highway sections, their inadequate improvement, a shortage of parking spaces in some residential areas of the capital, lack of systematic character in the municipal services’ activity, for example, garbage disposal, as well as failure-prone power supply and heating of residential houses. Power failures are caused in most cases by inefficient operation of power stations, faulty power distribution, improper work of control devices, the head of state said, having assigned the head of Ashgabat city’s khyakimlik to improve the shortcomings in the shortest possible space of time. The nation’s leader demanded to take every measure to prevent power failures in the capital, having assigned to repair power stations and other facilities, if necessary, and to report on fulfillment of the commission at the appointed time. In the course of the in-depth analysis of “weak points” in the activity of the khyakimliks, the President of Turkmenistan has pointed out that in the capital’s etraps there are many residential buildings with the expired service life, which lack necessary conditions, and therefore, unsuitable for further use. However, the measures aimed at either demolishing or renovating the buildings are not being taken. In this connection, addressing to the heads of the city and etrap administrations, the leader of nation has noted that they bear personal responsibility for all these shortcomings. You will be held accountable for the issues, which should be settled within the shortest possible space of time, the head of state said. Once again reminding of the importance of all-round preparation of Ashgabat for the V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has assigned to carry out extensive renovation to houses of the city’s housing stock, other social-purpose objects, to ensure construction of all the facilities as scheduled. To relieve traffic congestion caused by a vast number of vehicles, it is necessary to create well-designed, principally new transport and engineering infrastructure, the head of state underlined. Construction of underpasses and bridges should be continued as well. All these will enable to organize well-regulated traffic in the busiest streets during the V Asian Games. All the above-mentioned work has been included in the 2015-2016 Ashgabat Development Conception, said the leader of nation. Further, the Turkmen leader outlined the important tasks set before Ashgabat city’s khyakimlik and its etrap khyakimliks on realization of the within-said Conception: - the social infrastructure, namely the transport and communication system, engineering network, public utility services, communications and energy sectors should be completely upgraded in Ashgabat until 2017; - all necessary steps should be taken to enable white marble Ashgabat to welcome participants and guests of the V Asian Games with its fully renovated wonderful look. Our beautiful capital should become world-famous for its magnificent architectural ensembles! To this end, it is necessary: 1) To bring the key indices of living standards of the capital’s population to those ones of the most developed countries; 2) To remarkably improve the wellbeing of the city’s population and bring it to a higher level; 3) To gradually enhance the quality of residential houses erected in the capital by applying modern innovative technologies; 4) To systematically increase the volume of target-oriented capital investments in producing sector of the city’s economy; 5) To further maintain the city’s multi-industry economy; to ensure harmonious development of the fields of transport and communications, science, services, trade, and the industry, and at the same time, to give special consideration to training of highly qualified specialists; 6) To create necessary infrastructure with a view of turning the capital into a significant tourist center of the region; 7) To continue the work on developing the city’s engineering and transport infrastructure, tooled at a high technological level; to this end, to give special attention to the development of Ashgabat’s transport networks in the interconnection with other regions of the Motherland and foreign countries; to increase the volume of financing of road construction and reconstruction in the capital; 8) To envisage the environmental issues of ecology in realization of the capital’s development programs. It is important to take a well-thought-out approach to the issues of careful conservation of the capital’s natural landscapes and plants, as well as to consider the issue of green zones reconstruction; 9) To continue the construction of residential buildings in the capital’s residential area Parahat-7, four-story dwelling houses of improved accommodation in Keshi, as well as one- and two-story cottages in the settlement of Choganly and the village of Taze zaman, Derveze etrap, Akhal velayat; 10) To continue the construction works in Oguzkhan Street within the framework of the 13th phase of the Ashgabat Redevelopment Program. This year we should build and put into operation buildings and facilities of the 13th phase together with social- and cultural purpose objects and venues designated for holding public events, comprehensive schools, kindergartens, a health house, a shopping and entertainment center with a three-level parking lot, highways; 11) In accordance with the 14th phase of the Ashgabat Redevelopment Program, to start construction of residential buildings of improved accommodation between Oguzkhan Street and Bitarap Turkmenistan Avenue; social- and cultural-purpose objects, buildings for public events, as well as a kindergarten and a highway; to complete the construction of these projects as scheduled; 12) As planned, in the frames of the 15th phase, the construction works will start from Seidi and Mollanepes Streets and continue up to Tehran Street. It is reasonable to construct 12-storey residential houses, given the natural features of sites for the would-be objects; 13) I entrust the city’s administration with the construction of one- and two-story cottages, as well as three- and four-story dwelling houses of improved accommodation in the southern part of the city (hilly terrain), in the territory adjacent to the “Ashgabat” multifunctional stadium; modern park zones and three tennis courts should be provided as well. To ensure a high organizational level, to enhance responsibility for fulfillment of the activities, to achieve well-coordinated interaction of the bodies of state and local authorities, the nation’s leader commissioned to set up working groups headed by Deputies Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan in charge of the relevant sectors. In the course of the meeting, khyakims of Archabil, Bagtyyarlyk, Kopetdag, Berkarar, Abadan and Ruhabat etraps of the capital delivered reports on the state of affairs in the etraps they are responsible for, on the plans developed for tackling the tasks assigned. Summarizing the reports, the leader of nation voiced the decision taken to improve the capital’s administrative system, its administrative and territorial structure in accordance with the Resolution of Mejlis of Turkmenistan on merging Archabil and Chandybil etraps into Archabil etrap. Having expressed every confidence that all the tasks assigned would be properly implemented, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov wished the meeting attendees great success in their responsible work.