Residents of the Tokoldosh residential area gathered in front of Bishkek City Hall on October 5, demanding a solution to the long-standing land dispute that has left dozens of families in limbo for years.
"We have been living there for 60 years. When we tried to draw up state acts for the land plots, we were refused, arguing that the district is to be demolished under the General Plan and therefore there is a moratorium on legalization. But in 2005 documents for my plot were issued to another person. Then there were court proceedings, and in the end, the court decided not in our favor," said Gulnaz Izimova, a resident of Tokoldosh.
The residents allege that their land rights were infringed upon when documents for their plots were issued to other individuals in 2005. Despite legal battles, the situation remains unresolved, leading to growing frustration among the affected families.
Vice Mayor Nurdan Oruntayev addressed the protesters and informed them that their issue was on the agenda of the upcoming Bishkek City Council session. However, he did not provide specific details regarding the resolution of the dispute.
"He said that they were working on it, looking for plots. But our opponents do not agree to take these plots, as we have all the infrastructure in Tokoldosh," the rally participants stated.
The residents have made it clear that they do not intend to disperse until their issue is comprehensively addressed at the City Council session. If their demands are not met, they plan to request a meeting with the mayor to seek a resolution.
The land dispute dates back to 2005 when the municipality adopted a resolution to grant ownership of land plots for the construction of individual houses in Tokoldosh. Subsequently, 74 families found themselves caught in a legal battle as ownership of their plots changed hands multiple times through court proceedings.
The case even reached the Supreme Court, with a mixed outcome. The court obliged the City Hall to allocate land plots to the owners in other districts, leading to some residents leaving Tokoldosh.
Earlier this year, a skirmish erupted when authorities attempted to demolish houses in Tokoldosh. This further aggravated the situation, with residents insisting that their property rights had been violated by the city government.
Vice Mayor Nurdan Oruntayev had previously stated that the municipality was actively seeking alternative plots to offer to the legal owners of land in Upper Tokoldosh, though a concrete solution has yet to materialize.
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