26/07/2011 / IRAN
The highway, which passes under Rafsanjan’s Shohada (Martyrs) Square, in the city centre, was inaugurated with much pomp in May 2010, during an official visit by the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Hosseini. At the time, Rafsanjan Mayor Ali Akmbar Pourmohamdi declared that the project, which cost an estimated 1.7 million euros to complete, had required a year of preparation and over eight months of construction work. According to Pourmohamdi, the underpass would reduce traffic jams in the city centre by 60 per cent and boost the city’s economic development.
In reality, practically the opposite has occurred. At the first sign of heavy rains, Shohada Square is flooded with a torrent of water that cascades onto the underpass from the bridges above. Traffic slows to a crawl as smaller vehicles are forced to change streets.
Astonishingly, city authorities appear to have chosen to ignore the problem, going as far as to forbid local media outlets and officials from reporting on the flooding. Our Observers in Rafsanjan would only speak out on the condition of anonymity.
Highway-turned-waterway is the laughing stock of Iran
It was meant to speed up inner-city traffic, but on rainy days, the brand-new expressway in the central Iranian city of Rafsanjan turns into a giant urban waterfall. Our Observers say the road is an example of botched engineering and construction work at its worst.
The highway, which passes under Rafsanjan’s Shohada (Martyrs) Square, in the city centre, was inaugurated with much pomp in May 2010, during an official visit by the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Hosseini. At the time, Rafsanjan Mayor Ali Akmbar Pourmohamdi declared that the project, which cost an estimated 1.7 million euros to complete, had required a year of preparation and over eight months of construction work. According to Pourmohamdi, the underpass would reduce traffic jams in the city centre by 60 per cent and boost the city’s economic development.
In reality, practically the opposite has occurred. At the first sign of heavy rains, Shohada Square is flooded with a torrent of water that cascades onto the underpass from the bridges above. Traffic slows to a crawl as smaller vehicles are forced to change streets.
Astonishingly, city authorities appear to have chosen to ignore the problem, going as far as to forbid local media outlets and officials from reporting on the flooding. Our Observers in Rafsanjan would only speak out on the condition of anonymity.
"When it rains, the highway becomes a joke to those who see it, and a tragedy for those who need to drive on it."
Rihaneh (pseudonym) is an ER doctor at a Rafsanjan hospital.
This project is an absolute mess. It’s the laughing stock not only of Rafsanjan but of everyone who visits the city. If it’s raining, people actually come from far away to see the ‘waterfall’ and ‘swimming pool’ for themselves. It’s pathetic.
I heard, though, that the city government grew so angry about people criticizing the highway that they forbade local media from publishing anything more on their ‘noble project’, which was supposed to solve the city’s entire traffic problem. And since the city has no opposition representatives as such, there are no voices ready to speak out publicly against about the problem.
Not only has the underpass not done anything to lessen the city’s traffic, but when it rains, it becomes a joke for those who see it, and a tragedy for those who need to drive on it.”
"Rumour has it that the engineers responsible for the project had ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps."
Alireza (pseudonym) is an engineer in Rafsanjan.
From an engineer’s perspective, it’s unbelievable that the people who conceived this project could have made such a huge mistake. How could they not have thought about the slope and the way water would flow through it when it rained?
It seems that the mayor and his team were more interested in pulling off big publicity stunts for their political careers than in truly addressing the needs of the city. We need better public transport, cultural centres and other basic services more than fancy parks or highways. The construction of the underpass was rushed to be finished in time for the minister of Islamic Guidance’s visit in May 2010. There was big fanfare at the time, but a little rain and all that big talk comes tumbling down.
Rumour has it that the engineers responsible for overseeing the project had ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps [a branch of Iran’s military founded after the 1979 revolution viewed by critics as a powerful and corrupt parallel government], which directly or indirectly controls most of the construction and development projects in the country.”
Comments
This looks very dramatic. I
Submitted by Gabrielle (not verified) on Thu, 13/10/2011 - 09:09.This looks very dramatic. I can assume that this can be annoying and dangerous if the street are full of water. How would you drive if the street cannot be passed anymore? And this is only from rain? This has to be a very heavy rainperiod.
Iran Industry
Submitted by Behzad (not verified) on Fri, 05/08/2011 - 16:56.Good morning,
I work for a governement owned industrial organization in Iran. we produce chemicals & addetives for the refined Petrolum products.
For your information, non of products and processes are inline with international standards . The final addetives and chemicals are from a partially low quality products, imported from China. then blended in the chemical plant in South of Iran with low quality high Sulphur Diesel oil & then with hudge publicity, that Islamic Republic of Iran is producing all its Petrolum needs locally, these low quality Chinese products are sent to Petrolum refining plants to be added to the products.
This is the Art of cheating the people of Iran and the world.
Behzad. Chemical engineer Iran
And people around the world
Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/08/2011 - 14:55.And people around the world are afraid that Iran is going to build nuclear weapons. They can't even engineer a road properly - how do you think they're going to be able to successfully build weapons that require far more expertise than road-building? What a joke.
Highway becomes a joke
Submitted by Umbrella (not verified) on Mon, 01/08/2011 - 20:38.First thing that comes to mind is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ZYhVpdXbQ
I have a solution dig a hole :-D
disaster
Submitted by business recycling (not verified) on Thu, 28/07/2011 - 08:29.To me this is just another indication that the whole world needs to stop building roads and filling the world up with more and more cars. Why is noone looking for a viable alternative
Have you all heard of
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Wed, 27/07/2011 - 21:47.Have you all heard of America's Corp of Engineers and the Katrina fiasco?
Iran is going to build
Submitted by early childhood education salaries (not verified) on Mon, 12/09/2011 - 14:13.Iran is going to build nuclear weapons. They can't even engineer a road properly - how do you think they're going to be able to successfully build weapons that require far more expertise than road-building? What a joke.
Ha Ha
Submitted by Anonymous_contributor (not verified) on Mon, 01/08/2011 - 05:18.Katrina was a 100 year flooding event -- do you remember the city in Iran that lost 20,000 people during an earthquake in the last few years? Any dope in a normal city administration would not allow a new highway that flooded after every expected downpour -- no parallel with Katrina, though if blaming America for everything wrong in Iran is your style, you will be perpetually busy -- being a fool.
I don't think s/he was
Submitted by MazK (not verified) on Tue, 02/08/2011 - 17:12.I don't think s/he was blaming America, just drawing a similarity between the stupendous, highly intelligent expertise of both nation's engineers!!!! Also, do not assume that everyone blames America as soon as they open their mouths about something - because that is a sign of your inferiority complex.
There's a difference between
Submitted by Anonimouse (not verified) on Sun, 14/08/2011 - 19:35.There's a difference between stupid engineers (in Iran's case) and stupid managers/public leaders (in the US's case). The engineers for New Orleans knew about the problem, had a solution, but were forced to keep quiet by their non-engineering managers.