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Work has begun on the study “Comprehensive Assessment of the Development Potential of the Makhachkala Agglomeration”, commissioned by the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning of the capital of Dagestan and carried out by the Agency for Strategic Development “CENTER.” This will be the Agency’s second such document: five years ago, the company released an analytical report of the same name that identified the main development directions for a territory with a population of more than one million people.

The new study is intended to update the vision for the further transformation of Makhachkala together with the neighboring cities and districts of Kaspiysk, Karabudakhkent, and Kumtorkala.

“Over the years since the first study was prepared, Makhachkala has already accomplished a great deal, and now it is necessary to consolidate information about the work carried out. Data on the socio-economic situation and infrastructure may have partially become outdated; updated information is needed to move to the next stage of agglomeration development,” noted Sergei Georgievskii, Co-founder of the Agency for Strategic Development “CENTER.”

Among the goals of the new study are identifying the key challenges facing the municipalities and developing a preliminary scenario for the spatial development of the agglomeration. The objectives also include improving the Urban and Rural Environment Quality Index and selecting “quick wins” — measures capable of delivering visible results in the short term.

Experts will also define the strategic development benchmark for the agglomeration, identify undeveloped sites suitable for development, and propose solutions for improving housing, transport, and infrastructure for work and leisure. The study will outline unified requirements for information and advertising structures, non-stationary retail facilities, cafés, and urban furniture. Priority measures will include proposals for modernizing the street and road network and creating pedestrian-priority streets.

The comprehensive assessment of the development potential of the Makhachkala Agglomeration will form the basis for its future master plan — a key document defining spatial development priorities, major investment projects, and funding sources.

As stated in the Program for the Economic and Social Development of Makhachkala for 2025–2027, “The absence of a master plan prevents participation in the federal project ‘Development of Tourism Infrastructure’ under the national project ‘Tourism and the Hospitality Industry,’ including access to federal subsidies for the reconstruction of the historic city center. Prospects for tourism innovation in Makhachkala may be highly promising due to its unique cultural heritage, natural resources, and growing interest in the region.”

Photo:  Agency for strategic development "CENTER"