To expand Tehran’s public transportation system, 500 new buses will be added to the operating fleet by the end of May, a member of Tehran City Council said.
Shahrbanou Amani added that the induction is part of a government plan to add 1,500 domestically-made buses to the capital’s transport network, YJC reported.
Due to the lack of public transport vehicles, social distancing cannot be observed in buses packed with commuters.
“To maintain safe distance between people, the number of buses and subway trains need to increase,” she said.
Amani noted that although the number of public transport passengers fell by 70% during Norouz (Iranian New Year) holidays from March 20 to April 3), the surging crowd in public vehicles and subway is becoming worrisome after resuming the so-called low-risk businesses in mid-April.
Experts say public means of transportation are potentially more hazardous than schools and universities. Due to the inbound air circulation of ventilators, one infected person can contaminate a large number in a bus or train car.
The new addition is hoped to alleviate the worrying situation in the transport system.
Urban officials have waived traffic restriction rules in the city called “Traffic Scheme” and “Air Pollution Control” until further notice to motivate people to keep away from hazardous public vehicles.
A member of Tehran City Council says social distancing cannot be observed in buses packed with commuters. To maintain safe distance between people, the number of buses and subway trains need to increase
The Traffic Scheme is usually enforced in a 3,000-hectare area in the center of the city, where cars, except public transportation vehicles, are barred from entering the area between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Entering the zone costs up to 517,000 rials ($3.2) for private vehicles.
APC defines an 88.5-square-kilometer area in central Tehran, which could be entered for free for a maximum of 20 days each season, or 80 days a year.
In addition, officials have marked subway train seats to help passengers maintain safe distance. The train headway has also shrunk by one to three minutes depending on the line, to curb the crowd.
However, the efficiency of signs declines when the train is packed with passengers.
The novel coronavirus has infected 88,816 people by April 25 and claimed 5,574 lives. According to the Health Ministry, 66,599 patients have so far recovered.
Untaken Measures
Public transportation expansion projects have become a challenging task for managers in Iranian metropolises because of rising demand for the government budget.
However, officials have been making efforts to overcome funding shortcomings.
In late February, the government intended to use the National Development Fund to help Tehran Municipality buy 630 subway cars and 3,000 new buses.
The announcement was made in a meeting between Es’haq Jahangiri, first vice president, and Mohsen Hashemi, chairman of Tehran City Council, where they discussed ways of expanding the capital’s public transportation network.
Mohammad Alikhani, the head of TCC's Transportation Commission, later told reporters that the government will allocate the budget as soon as experts complete their estimatation and select the supplier companies.
Destructive Sanctions
According to Tehran Mayor Pirouz Hanachi, Iran is currently struggling with two viruses: COVID-19 and US sanctions.
In view of economic hardships facing Iran due to the reimposition of US sanctions, the renovation of transportation fleet faces a big hurdle.
The prices of new buses and minibuses have registered a threefold leap, just like any other commodity.
After US President Donald Trump unilaterally reneged on Iran’s nuclear accord and reimposed sanctions against Tehran in summer 2018, the Iranian rial lost almost 70% of its value over the past year.
On Saturday, the US dollar was traded at 162,000 rials in Tehran while it hardly fetched 42,000 rials in March 2018.
Following the reimposition of sanctions, many foreign suppliers of vehicles and parts suspended collaboration with Iranian firms. The country cannot afford to import new buses in large numbers and local manufacturers do not have an adequate volume of parts to boost production.
These factors have derailed transportation fleet renovation schemes. However, with the help of the government and automakers, urban planners are devising solutions to implement these schemes. Only time will show whether these efforts have yielded the desired results.
Current Status
According to TM, the number of buses operating in Tehran hardly reaches 6,000 which, according to experts, are half the number required for offering acceptable transportation services.
Experts say the average age of the fleet is over 11 years, such that 50% of the buses plying the streets of Tehran are dilapidated and fit for the scrap-yard.
These old buses have numerous technical flaws and cause inconvenience to passengers, apart from worsening the air pollution suffocating Tehran’s residents.
Additionally, 1,000 subway cars are currently operating in the capital's urban subway system, 30% of which need to be upgraded.
The capital's subway stretches over 220 kilometers and comprises seven lines (1 to 7) with nearly 120 stations. Lines 6 and 7 are yet to become fully operational.
In normal situation, four million people use the subway daily. TM expects the number to surge by 25% after subway lines 6 and 7 are up and running.
But this is definitely not adequate for Tehran where, according to statistics, over 15 million people commute daily, many from the surrounding cities and towns.
Speaking of inefficient transport, Tehran is not the only city facing challenges. Reports say Isfahan, the other metropolis in central Iran, is also grappling with the same problems.
