Surkhandarya province Governor Ulugbek Kosimov sharply criticized the province's transportation system, road infrastructure, and high passenger fares during a visit to Jarkurgan district. Video of his remarks was posted the following day on the provincial administration's Telegram channel.
Addressing the condition of the M-39 highway connecting the province to Tashkent, the governor described complaints from car and bus drivers as "legitimate," adding, "We're already ashamed to look people in the eye."
"Past Boysun, it's impossible to drive. Taxi drivers are complaining. Bus drivers are complaining," Kosimov said.
"The railway is no better — there are no proper conditions at all," the governor continued. "By the time you reach Tashkent, you feel sick. No cooling system, no basic amenities. No tickets, no proper conditions at the station. You can't transport people on the local train from Termez to Sariosiyo like this. The transport prosecutor's office is just standing by and watching."
Passengers pay for these services, and the services must match that payment in quality, the governor stressed, addressing officials from the transport department and the prosecutor's office.
"Why isn't the rule of law being upheld? Why aren't measures being taken? What is the transport department even doing?" he asked.
Airfares are also too high, Kosimov said, adding that the provincial branch of the Competition and Consumer Rights Protection Committee has likewise been acting as a mere "observer" rather than taking action.
He ordered officials to refit train carriages on both the Tashkent and Sariosiyo routes within a week and to ensure all necessary conditions were in place for passengers. He also instructed representatives of the Competition Committee to review how ticket fares are being set.
"Thank goodness our people just quietly get on and ride — students, the elderly. You can't even breathe inside those carriages. Would that prosecutor get on this train himself? Could his heart take it? That man doesn't have the time for this. What are your field officers even looking at? Do they even have something like a sanitary inspection service? What are they looking at?" the governor said.
Kosimov also voiced dissatisfaction with the state of the province's airports and ordered a full inspection of every facility, from restrooms to waiting areas.
"Why should people arriving in Sariosiyo have to sit outside in the heat? What was the terminal building even built for? No one's being transported for free — people are buying tickets. So they need to be served properly," the governor said.
He added that while transport staff abroad tend to be courteous and welcoming, that standard of service is lacking in the province.
Ticket sales systems must be transparent, tickets should not be handed out through personal connections, fares must be affordable, and there should be no artificial barriers for passengers, the governor summarized.
Kosimov said he would personally inspect the condition of train carriages in person early next week.
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