Tehran-Shomal Freeway ignores environmental concerns

In a court session attended by the project contractors on Tuesday, representatives from the Department of the Environment and the Ministry of Roads and Transportation, the possible damages resulting from the construction of the controversial Tehran-Shomal Highway were reviewed, the Persian service of ISNA reported on Friday.

During the session, the project contractors claimed that they had met their environmental obligations, maintained Dr. Asilian, an official with the nation’s Department of the Environment.

Despite repeated warnings of the Department of the Environment on the ecosystem harms and environmental hazards resulting by the mismanagement of the project, the freeway developers have not yet bothered to offer a comprehensive environment management plan, the official stated.

The long delays in the construction of the freeway will further present numerous environmental problems. The project has progressed at a very miniscule rate in the past few years. The Mazandaran Environmental Protection Department and the environment office in Chalus have reported that the area in the vicinity of the project has been hit by mismanagement in implementation of the highway construction.

Overall, the project is 20 percent complete and is expected to be finished in three years. Chinese contractors have undertaken to develop significant parts of the project.

Completion of the nation’s mega project, sometimes referred to as the national project, has faced long delays, however, when completed the current distance from the capital Tehran to the Caspian Sea littoral cities would be significantly shortened.

RA/MA

END

MNA