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$3 million illegal high-rise in Samarkand faces demolition after years of delays
Authorities in Samarkand have begun executing a court order to demolish a well-known 12-storey building constructed illegally by citizen Furqat Khalilov. The structure had been declared seismically unsafe by experts. Khalilov, who previously claimed to have invested $3 million in the project, made an emotional appeal on social media as demolition efforts got underway.
Photo: KUN.UZ
Construction of the building began in 2012 without any architectural approval, seismic or geological assessments. The project was carried out privately, in violation of standard procedures.
Experts concluded that the building does not comply with construction regulations and lacks sufficient seismic stability, making it structurally dangerous.
A technical inspection conducted in May 2022 confirmed that the building could not be repaired and recommended full demolition. Based on this conclusion, a court ruling in July 2022 ordered Furqat Khalilov to dismantle the building at his own expense.
However, enforcement of the court decision was delayed for a long time. In 2023, a café was illegally opened on the building’s ground floor, which reignited public debate over the structure’s fate.
In 2025, state enforcement agencies finally began implementing the demolition order. Specialized equipment has been deployed, and partial demolition of the building is now in progress.
Khalilov has once again turned to social media, lamenting that over a decade of work and investment has been lost.
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