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Deadlock Over Tehran to Shomal Highway Construction Ends

Posted on: Monday, 31 October 2005, 15:00 CST

Text of report in English by Iranian Mehr news agency in English

Tehran, 31 October: After many years, the deadlock over building the Tehran-Shomal highway is finally broken: construction works on the project have started again but with a good pace, noted Monday [31 October] Roads and Transportation Minister Mohammad Rahmati.

Payment of 50 per cent of the projects operating costs by the government and awarding the contract to Chinese contractors to build the first section of the highway were among the main factors that broke the deadlock on the huge project, he added.

Construction works are under way at three sections of the highway, most important of which is the first section starting from Tehran to Gachsar. This part of the highway shortens the current distance between the capital and the Caspian Sea littoral cities by 50 km. The first section of the project bypasses Karaj and as a result eliminates the usual traffic jam at the entry of this satellite city.

The 260m dollar project finance deal with Chinese contractors - the first section of the highway - is expected to be developed by late 2009, the roads and transportation minister explained.

Referring to the section starting from Chalus, he commented that the under-construction highway in that part is 50 per cent complete. He also pointed out that despite the preliminary works done in the mid section of the road, it has not been given to a contractor yet.

Source: BBC Monitoring Middle East

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