TEHRAN – The underground transport system stretching to 170 kilometers in the metropolis of Tehran is delivering over 730 million rides each year, Mehdi Jamalinejad, deputy interior minister, has announced.

Currently, 106 kilometers of metro lines are under construction in the capital, which is expected to increase the number of annual subway ridership by 513 million, he stated, adding, the project will be completed by the end of the Iranian calendar year 1402 (March 2024).

“With construction under way on 289 kilometers in the metropolitan areas, the total operational metro lines in the country will expanded to 584 kilometers by the next five years, which will lead the number of annual metro trips to exceed 2,337 million,” he added.

Pointing to the improper population proportion in the capital, he noted that migrating from rural to urban areas and the metropolises has led to a lack of population balance, which is causing difficulties on the outskirts of the capital.
The only way to solve some of the problems is planning to create a fast transport system connecting rural to urban areas, he added. 

He went on to explain that exploitation of new lines linking outskirts to the capital will be effective in reducing road traffic, accidents and increasing daily commute to the capital which also curb air pollution along with decreasing permanent migration to major cities.

He further expressed hope that the whole metro project will be completed with the cooperation of related bodies.

FB/MQ/MG