The five million inhabitants of Tehran’s satellite townships are suffering a series of disadvantages stemming from their proximity to the capital, Pakdasht Majlis representative claimed.
The majority of the issues faced by satellite towns can be addressed through joint meetings between the city and provincial officials, said Farhad Bashiri.
One of the main concerns facing the outlying areas is air pollution. “It is a problem they have not necessarily caused, but suffer from its consequences,” the official stated, quoted by Alef news.
Suburban counties such as Pakdasht (25 km southeast of Tehran) suffer the most during peak air pollution as the issue has not been sufficiently addressed in the capital, he maintained. The next most pressing problem faced by the townships is inappropriate road access to the capital, which causes traffic to spill into the counties and provinces, congesting the areas and inconveniencing residents.
Providing access from Pakdasht to the Shahid Babaei Freeway should be prioritized, Bashiri said. Should this access be granted, most of the transportation problems in the east of the country would be resolved.
Water Scarcity
Turning to water shortage, Bashiri attributed the problem to the capital’s ever growing population and insufficient rainfall, which has especially impacted agriculture in the region.
New sewage treatment initiatives, along with modern irrigation techniques are positive steps in dealing with the issue, he added.
Tehran’s water consumption is twice that of the world average. Water conservation projects can play a huge part in solving the capital’s water scarcity, said the member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly.
Metro Extension
The Tehran metro extension into Pakdasht is seen by the government as top priority. It is an extensive project, the implementation of which will cost over $45 million.
The Tehran to Mashhad railway contract has been granted to a Chinese company, but requires cooperation from the Tehran City Council, the municipality, as well as provincial authorities, Bashiri said.
Most of the difficulties faced by the suburban townships are generated in the capital. The inequitable distribution of wealth and allocation of services contribute to the problems, which need to be addressed in cooperation with the provinces, said Talayi, member of the city council.
Joint efforts among the capital and provincial municipalities will help to draw a comprehensive policy for overall development within existing resources. A joint research center between the capital and the provinces should be established to assess and coordinate implementation of these initiatives.
