Uzbek leader visits Khadra Square, Foundry Mechanical Engineering Plant

President Islam Karimov traveled to the metropolitan Khadra Square, UzA reported. The Khadra Square is one Tashkent’s historic centers. It is a point where Navoi Avenue and Furkat, Zarkaynar, Sebzar streets intersect. Nearby are the Tashkent State Circus, various agencies and organizations, malls, and apartment buildings. The square is always crowded with people and the streets endure intensive traffic.

In order to create even more convenience for the public and optimize transport flows, this place has undergone wide-scale construction and repair works. The underground motor road linking Furkat Street with Zarkaynar and Sebzar streets has been reconstructed. A 46-meter long underground passageway has been built at Navoi Avenue. The 82-meter long sidewalk on Furkat Street has been revamped.

Reviewing this structure, the President of Uzbekistan noted that during engineering and construction works of such major facilities it is imperative to take into account the climatic peculiarities of the city and make a rational use of its relief.

These factors were not taken into consideration when the underground motor road at the intersection of Navoi and Furkat streets, and multistoried residential houses adjacent to the Khadra Square were built in the 1980s, leading to a whole set of difficulties. A major part of this area was covered with asphalt and concrete – a discrepancy with climatic conditions in our land. Because of the intimate proximity that these buildings were erected in relation to the roads, there has barely been a possibility to even plant trees.

To improve the living environment for the residents of these high-rise buildings, to create opportunities for their leisure, and provide for a microclimate, an imposing fountain has been built at the Khadra Square. The stream of fountain water flies up to 12 meters, and it runs over a multicolor illumination in the night.

“During the consistently undertaken construction and beautification works, a special attention should always be paid to ensuring the interests of people,” Islam Karimov said. “It is essential to create all the comfort for life, work, relaxation and cultural leisure for the population.”

The efforts designed to expand green areas along the streets and in squares and parks serve this very goal. As a result of transplanting such air-cleaning trees as chestnut, pine, spruce, birch, as well as a great diversity of flowers, our capital has been turning increasingly fabulous in appearance and a comfortable place to live. This is suggestive also by the fact that in accordance with a rating announced in 2012 by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) of the prominent British periodical Economist, Tashkent is ranked 58th among the cities of the world most conducive for living.

As a result of construction and repair works spearheaded at the Khadra Square, another tourist attraction has emerged in the capital. Asphalt cover has been removed from the part of the square adjacent to Navoi Avenue, giving way to a grass plot with decorative trees and flower seedlings. Children’s playgrounds have been erected.

According to President Islam Karimov, it is necessary to take into account not only the current realities, but also the interests of future generations in constructing buildings, roads and other infrastructure facilities.

The modern buildings, roads, bridges erected, squares and parks created across the nation and in the capital in particular, epitomize these very gracious goals.

As the head of state stressed, all the buildings and facilities are being constructed by us with our own knowledge, intellect, prowess and potential. In the meanwhile, we should always remember the words of our great ancestor Amir Temur, who used to say that if one wills to assess our might, he ought to take a look at edifices we have built.

The leader of our nation offered essential recommendations to further refine the appearance of the Khadra Square, to fashion even more conveniences for the locals, primarily children, to spend their leisure time, to beautify and arrange green spaces, improve fountains by making use of cutting-edge technologies.

Later the day, Islam Karimov familiarized himself with the activities of the reconstructed Foundry Mechanical Engineering Plant of the Uzbekiston Temir Yollari State Stock Railway Company.

The wide-ranging reforms in progress under the leadership of the President of our country across all sectors of economy have been yielding remarkable effects. Inter-sector cooperation of manufacturing enterprises has been enhancing, along with the introduction of state-of-the-art machinery and technologies to the production process and the steadfast advancement of transport and communications infrastructure. The cardinally replenished Foundry Mechanical Engineering Plant that has launched a new foundry line is a telling outcome of the consistent reforms being marshaled in Uzbekistan to shore up the railway networks.

As part of the project “Modernization of Diesel-Powered Locomotive Rolling Stock”, the enterprise was transferred to the possession of Uzbekistan Railways. Major part of the foundry goods produced in our country is generated in this very factory. The plant currently employs 1,270 specialists.

In accordance with the presidential resolution approved in June 2012 on measures to implement a project on the development of repair base for freight coaches, to organize carriage production and reconstruction of foundry at the Foundry Mechanical Engineering Plant, a scheme worth 150 million US dollars has been realized that started last year. It was implemented thanks to a loan of 48.8 million dollars allocated from Uzbekistan’s Fund for Reconstruction and Development and the resources of Uzbekistan Railways SSRC. The plant is outfitted with the latest equipment and technologies from German companies like Kunkel Wagner, Otto Junker and Nederman. Noteworthy as it is, these next-generation technologies installed as part of project on the new foundry line of the factory are unique to Central Asia. Crucially, the modernization of the new foundry line allows for saving electric power to a considerable extent.

The significance of this project is added up by the production of several types of import substituting spare parts that is established at the enterprise itself. 167 types of foundry produce are localized to date at this plant with a capacity of 26.5 thousand tons of foundry goods a year. This allows for 15 million US dollars to be saved every year. The scheme facilitates foundry for localized production of more than 15 thousand tons of steel, in excess of 10 thousand tons of cast iron and 500 tons of nonferrous metals per annum, along with the manufacturing of 1,200 new train coaches, production of 950 large-capacity containers and the repair of 1,500 freight carriages. The mill has launched production of essential components not merely for industrial sectors of the railway sphere, but also for leading machine-building manufacturers of the country. The production of new types of freight carriages has been launched in 2012.

The establishment of new types of production at the enterprise has included the cargo coaches undergoing cardinal overhaul and modernization, new such carriages manufactured, along with the foundry of cast iron, metal and nonferrous materials, production of spare parts for rolling stock and railroad bed as well as nonconventional metallic hardware.

The prime cost of the manufactured goods is projected to be reduced in the future by satisfying the demand in the foundry produce by other industrial sectors of the nation. The plant capacity is envisioned to be increased in the construction of freight coaches for up to 3 thousand a year and the team expects to launch production of other types of train carriages.

Reviewing the conditions created here, the head of our state drew a particular attention to the magnitude of using cutting-edge machines and technologies in the production process.

“Today, the preservation of clean environment is of critical importance,” the President put it emphatically. “Thus, it is imperative that we effectively use environmentally clean and quality technologies in the production cycle. Once there were a lot of those who doubted Uzbekistan’s ability to grasp machine building and metalworking spheres. Only those peoples who are confident in their future are capable of achieving a prosperous life. In Uzbekistan, it is not only mechanical engineering and metalworking that are advancing dynamically today, but also the railway industry, causing admiration in everyone.”

Metalwork is believed to be one of the most advanced sectors of the heavy industry. As a nation who has secured its economic independence, Uzbekistan has succeeded in grasping also this segment of heavy industry owing to its own capacities and potential, notwithstanding the economic crisis ongoing in the world.

The Foundry Mechanical Engineering Plant comprises multi-sector divisions such as ones for coach building, for coach assembly, for rough stock and integration, machine-assembly, foundry, iron-pressing, instrument making, overhaul and integration, machine-repairing, wood reprocessing, transporting, compressor, oxygen, energy, as well as departments for repairing automobile equipment. The factory has its own internal railroad exceeding 5 kilometers.

The new metal-foundry department and other divisions of the enterprise boast unique hydraulic-pressing and drilling lathes that offer capacities for the production of carriages and overhaul of complicated machines and equipment.

During conversation with young specialists, the President of the country noted that today, the youths of Uzbekistan stir admiration of many also abroad with their intellectual potential, abilities and talent, goal-mindedness and initiative-driven nature.

“I am pretty glad to see smart, erudite and goal-minded young men and women who grasp modern machines and technologies with ease,” the head of state pointed out. “Without any doubt, one can purchase any equipment and technologies. But it is impossible to buy a profession and skills, abilities and gift. Every young specialist should feel the tremendous responsibility and ask themselves: Am I prepared to manage modern machines and technologies? That our youth are making use of these technologies is our greatest achievement.”

The creative and beautification works undertaken is going to serve for boosting the prosperity and the living standards of our nation and the steadfast advancement of our country’s economy.