During its plenary session on July 9, the Senate approved a bill aimed at reforming state oversight and management in the construction sector. The bill has now been forwarded to the president for his signature.
Among its key provisions, the document introduces steep fines and criminal liability for repeatedly building multi-apartment residential complexes without obtaining the proper authorizations from the regulatory inspection agency.
Kobul Tursunov, Deputy Chairman of the Senate Committee on Budget and Economic Reforms, shared that a comprehensive review had been conducted on the seismic resilience of 8,974 multi-apartment buildings constructed between 2017 and 2024, as well as 2,559 buildings slated for construction in 2025.
"The findings reveal that the project design and estimate documentation for 3,107 buildings entirely bypassed the state expert review, undergoing only private assessments instead. Additionally, 1,434 properties were never registered with the Inspection for Oversight in Construction and Housing and Communal Services, and in 185 instances, extra floors were illegally added to the buildings," the senator stated.
Fines and Criminal Liability
Senator Tursunov also highlighted a worrying upward trend in illegal construction projects across the country.
"Despite the fact that the registration of unauthorized buildings and structures by the Inspection for Oversight in Construction and Housing and Communal Services was completely halted on July 1, 2025, the number of illegal construction sites has actually increased by 213 since that date," he noted.
The bill introduces amendments to the Code of Administrative Responsibility. Citizens who build multi-apartment residential complexes without proper authorization from the regulatory inspection agency will face a fine of 400 BRV (164.8 million soums), while officials will be fined 450 BRV (185.4 million soums).
Furthermore, the Criminal Code is being amended to introduce prison sentences ranging from 3 to 5 years for repeat offenses. This criminal liability will apply if a party continues to construct multi-apartment buildings without a permit after an administrative penalty has already been imposed.
Additional Powers for the Construction Inspection Agency
The legislation also revamps the entire construction oversight framework. The previous system, which merely required builders to notify authorities before starting construction and installation work, is being replaced by a strict permit-based approval process. Additionally, the bill abolishes the policy of issuing indefinite, lifetime licenses for designing and constructing bridges, tunnels, and high-hazard facilities.
Structurally, the Inspection for Oversight in Construction and Housing and Communal Services is being transferred from the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services to operate directly under the Cabinet of Ministers.
The agency and its regional branches are being granted extensive additional powers. Specifically, the inspection agency will now issue permits to initiate construction and installation work, approve the commissioning of completed properties, enforce seismic safety compliance, and audit the quality of technical and architectural supervision.
Furthermore, the inspection agency will actively participate in classifying buildings based on their seismic vulnerability, conducting specialized instrumental and technical structural assessments, and retrofitting properties to enhance earthquake resilience.
Finally, digital technical passports will be mandatory for all multi-story apartment buildings and structures slated for construction in seismically active zones. These digital records will store all critical architectural and engineering data necessary to continuously assess the properties' seismic vulnerability.
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