About how victims of Kazan general layout defend their shelter
7 Days: from the start of World Cup to the end of the holy month
The major event of the previous week was the long-awaited World Cup. Kazan was flooded with tourists and fans from different countries, and the streets and embankments of the city turned into one big platform for friendly communication. The deputies of the State Council were presented a draft of new general layout of Kazan, the country celebrated Day of Russia, and the Muslims of the world — Eid al-Fitr. These and other topics were discussed in the weekly information and analytical programme 7 Days broadcasted on TNV channel. Read more details in the review of Realnoe Vremya.
First pages of World Cup
The long-awaited World Cup started on June 14 in Russia. The opening match was between the teams of Russia and Saudi Arabia. The World Cup began in Kazan with the match of the group stage France-Australia. The city was filled with tourists and fans from different countries.
''We thought that it would be difficult to meet guests in English, but it turned out that it was not. There is really the whole world. We oriented ourselves very quickly and now we meet guests in Spanish, French,'' says director of a hostel Leysan Tutaeva.
Here, in one of the hostels a few kilometres away from Kazan Arena, fans from Australia and France are living there together.
Football stars are not only among football players. The fan environment also has their own legends. Clément Tomaszewski is the most famous fan in France. The chiropractor has not missed any of the team's 250 games since 1984.
''Didier Deschamps, coach of the French national team, is my good friend. We live next door, our houses are nearby. Apparently, it is the fate that I became a famous fan and he became a coach. Over a cup of tea, we often discuss games with him,'' says Clément.
They in the hostel notice that French and Australian fans have one thing in common:
''They are so unspoilt by attention that they perceive our usual Russian hospitality as something special. Our girls receive compliments from them in the form of gifts,'' says brand manager of the hostel Elena Utochkina.
Streets and embankments of Kazan this week have turned into one big platform for friendly communication. Foreign speech can be heard on the streets of Kazan more often than Russian and Tatar. To entertain fans, organizers thought through everything in detail before and after the matches in Kazan. At the Kremlin walls, for example, you can take a historical picture for memory with the symbolic team of the world. Volunteers will help you navigate and choose an activity to your liking. Informational tents provide the information to the fans.
From the innovations of last week — the reconstruction of the 205th quarter was completed in the Old Tatar Sloboda, the theatre of national cuisine was opened. It is possible to celebrate the victory and just have fun in a new city embankment near Kaban Lake. A new kind of transport for fans has also been launched. It is possible to get from Chasha to the stadium by unmanned electric bus for free.
The first team coming to Kazan was the national team of Australia. On Monday, the players held an open training at the stadium Trudovye Reservy. On Thursday, at Sviyaga, it was possible to see the workout of the national team of Colombia, and at the training centre of Rubin — of the national team of Japan.
On Thursday, at the site of the family centre Kazan there was held the solemn opening of the festival of fans. Especially for this event, a four-tonne chak-chak, a Tatar sweet, was cooked. The achievement of Kazan cooks was even recorded in the book of records of Russia. President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov personally cut the delicacy and treated the fans.
The site has all the conditions for fans, there is a large food court where you can have a snack. There is a play area where you can play football. The big screen will broadcast all 64 matches throughout a month.
The first page in the history of the World Cup in Kazan has been written. We have three more weeks of big football ahead. It means a lot of new unforgettable emotions.
About how inhabitants of Nagorny defended their shelter
Last week, the deputies of the State Council of Tatarstan were presented a draft of the new general layout of Kazan until 2035. The work on the document began in 2014. Deputies supported the concept of the new general layout. But the population of Kazan and nearby villages still have a lot of questions concerning the new document. First of all, the questions concern the construction of roads, which provides for the demolition of houses. For several months, residents of the settlements defended their rights, organized rallies and attended public hearings in the hope that they would be heard.
To protect their ''fortresses'', almost all the residents of Nagorny took to the streets. The residents of the settlement learnt that the new master plan provides a four-lane road that will will through their houses only at the end of May. What is more — by accident.
Across Dubrovka Street, then on Dorozhnaya Street and further towards the village Abu Dabi. It was supposed to be the new route of the new highway in Nagorny, or as the developers call it – Proezd 1. According to experts, the road is necessary for the city to improve transport accessibility, logistics, to save the streets from traffic jams. The locals, for the most part, understand this, of course, but in their particular case it will not be a road of life, but rather a ''road of death''. The road that will deprive them of shelter.
Most of the local residents have worked for years and even generations to improve their houses. In addition, many people have documents that confirm their property rights. People are sure that in this case they can not be demolished just like that.
Novaya Sosnovka, Karyer, Bolshie Klyki, Salmachi, Voznesenie, Vishnevka and Nagorny. The draft of the new general layout of the city caused a shock reaction among the residents of Kazan and nearby villages. At a public hearing, the halls were filled the posters with inscriptions, ''We will not demolish our houses''. The main principle of the new document, according to the developers, is harmonious development of all areas of the city. By 2035, it is planned to increase the green area by 12%, develop electric transport and build additional social services. But most of all, people were concerned about the development of the road network, which, according to the scheme, permeates the city as a human vascular system.
The concerned population tried to influence the decision of developers and architects. New proposals were received at almost every meeting. Someone spoke about the possibility to unload the streets through the construction of new metro lines, and someone at all openly stated that new roads are not needed. The head of the development team responded: they are of strategic importance for the city.
Having united under a common flag, the representatives of the village of Nagorny zealously defended their positions. Sleepless nights, paperwork, meetings and the development of alternative options gave fruit. The developers took into account their arguments: the houses remain in place.
''They take the road out of our village. We had a proposal to take this road closer to M7, perhaps even along or behind it, to minimize the impact on residential areas. The proposed option is not the same, that is, it is outside of our village, but it affects the villages of Aki and Derbyshki,'' says representative of the initiative group of the village of Nagorny Timur Saitov.
It may be difficult, almost impossible, to implement the new general layout without touching someone's interests. Especially when you consider that the land in some villages, according to architects, is self-captured. As, for example, it happened in Novaya Sosnovka. As for owners with documents, for them there is an order provided by the legislation of Russia.
''When the decision is made and funding for the construction of roads is received, a detailed project is developed. When the project is developed, a project of planning is developed, which allows us to establish ''red lines'' and gives us legal grounds to withdraw property, plots from owners. The order of withdrawal is stipulated by the legislation of the Russian Federation. Ransom is provided. Moreover, the purchase is at a fair price, not at the cadastral value, but at the market value,'' says chief architect Tatyana Prokofieva.
The general layout gives people the opportunity to understand where the object is located, where it is allowed to build and where it is not. Therefore, when buying a land plot it is necessary to keep this document in mind. The architects do not give assurances that no private house will not suffer so far. The work on the general layout is underway. In the process they will try to take into account all the wishes of the residents. The final version of the document will be available closer to the end of July. In autumn, it is to be approved by the Kazan City Duma.
The great holiday of Eid al-Fitr
Last week was a real holiday for Tatarstan, Kazan, whole Russia. It was opened a series of festive celebrations on the occasion of Russia Day, which the country celebrated on June 12. On Friday, June 15, the Muslims celebrated one of the brightest and most important holidays — Eid al-Fitr. It is a sacred day for the believers and an official day off for Tatarstan citizens.
The village of Old Kiyazly, Aksubaevsky district, is home to 1,000 people. All of them consider themselves faithful Muslims. There is no gentile or atheist here. This village for centuries has been considered the centre of religious education of the district. There are still three mosques, and each of them has its own khazrat and parish. Big holidays such as Eid al-Fitr are celebrated here with a special meaning.
Early in the morning, men march down the street towards the mosque, praising the name of Allah. This is one of the three mosques in the village that has an ancient history. The building was rebuilt relatively recently, in 1996, but the very place of the temple for the residents is of particular importance.
The family of Shakirovs has nine sons. Their father served as khazrat for 30 years. The sons remember that even in the years of severe atheism, despite the prohibitions, this mosque continued to work. The minarets were not demolished in the village, and the inhabitants, without fear of persecution, remained faithful to their religion.
Whether the village saved the religion, or the religion saved this village, but even after a century they still honour the traditions of their ancestors, the ones that were passed down from one generation to another.
One of the most important local traditions is to honour the memory of ancestors on the holiday of Eid al-Fitr. All Muslims gather in one place where one of the most revered saints in the village is buried. It is where the universal prayer for the rest of the soul is pronounced.
A person named Gabdelsattar was buried in the local cemetery in 1875. He was very educated and religious. Gabdelsattar babay was not just a local khazrat, unexplained phenomena are attributed to his deeds. He helped the poor and destitute, healed people with prayer. He was called a saint during his lifetime, and even after his death the locals believe that his burial place has miraculous power.
There is one more important detail. In this village, women do not go to the cemetery at all. It is exclusively male prerogative to look for the graves of the dead. In general, local Muslims have a clear division of responsibilities. Women stay at home during Eid al-Fitr, prepare a festive table and meet guests.
According to tradition, in every house the hostess should bake holiday pancakes early in the morning. Or as they say here — to light a frying pan. Perhaps, this tradition is due to the fact that pancakes are the most delicious and relatively low-cost meal. After all, it is known that in the old days in the villages people lived poorly, modestly, with no frills. Of course, modern tables at Eid al-Fitr are full with dishes, but the main detail of the holiday still remained.
Aksubaevsky district has 28 mosques. The main mosque of the district every year during Eid al-Fitr attract young residents. Here they hold children's games, competitions, and treats — to everyone without exception.
Eid al-Fitr is a testament to the fact that the most important and significant month for the Muslims this year is over. The month of forgiveness, mercy and remission of sins.
What happened to the house of a famous benefactor
This year, on August 30, the monument to famous Kazan philanthropist Asgat Galimzyanov will celebrate the tenth birthday. It appeared in the city during the life of the benefactor — a unique case in history.
Kadriya Nigmatullina, a teacher of history at a Kazan school, who made with her students a traditional tour around city yards in search of illegal garbage dumps, accidentally came across one house. The woman remembered that she had already been in this yard, she came here with children, with the same students. She came to the only occupant of the barracks on Mezhlauk Street in the centre of Kazan, at Kolkhozny market, — benefactor Asgat Galimzyanov. It was here, in this old building without any facilities, there lived from immemorial time the happiest, by his own admission, man in the world. He passed away here two years ago.
The house was even more dilapidated inside. If you carefully and almost to the touch walk on what is left of the first floor and climb the long unsafe stairs to the second floor, where the honorary resident of Kazan and order-bearer Asgat Galimzyanov lived, you can get to the corridor door.
There is almost nothing touched in the last two years, up to the cups and sugar bowl on the table. The cabinets still clothes gathering dust, on the wall, on the floor, already rotten couches and beds there are still gathering dust diplomas, certificates, receipts, acknowledgements, invoices, receipts, statements, and personal belongings of the owner. Relatives just do not know what to do with all this. They do not touch these actually museum exhibits because they are well aware that the memory of this person does not belong to them alone.
Asgat Galimzyanov's daughter, who has the keys to the house, has no idea whether she owns the house itself, these several rooms on the second floor, for example. It is said that the territory around this barrack has already been acquired by a certain private, however, quite well-known person who prefers to invest money in the central parts of the city. If so, the fate of the house is unenviable.
''In any case, the house should be preserved as an object that will remind us about Asgat Galimzyanov. We need to create an art object. There has to be a person who would develop this business. And then it would be possible to breathe new life in this territory,'' director of the state museum of fine arts of Tatarstan Rosalia Nurgaleeva considers.