Tous Bans Heavy Vehicles

The municipality of Tous historical city in Khorasan Razavi Province has banned all heavy vehicles from entering Shahnameh Boulevard to protect its historical monuments. According to the provincial office of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, Mashhad's District 12 Mayor Saeid Akbarian said the ban has been imposed to limit illegal sand and gravel extractions in the vicinity of the historical area, Mehr News Agency reported.  "A number of licensed sand-washing factories operating in the proximity of the city will soon be displaced to suburban areas with the help of the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade," the official said. Akbarian noted that to ensure that drivers adhere to regulations, municipality and police forces have been settled along the boulevard to monitor vehicles plying in the area. The city is home to a number of ancient monuments such as the tomb of Ferdowsi (940–1020), the world-renowned Persian poet.