TEHRAN– Alborz tourism directorate has asked the ministry of cultural heritage for an extra budget, saying the funding is needed to finish the restoration of an ancient bridge, which partly collapsed in December 2020.

“A very good contractor is currently working to restore Khatun Bridge, but in terms of credits,” Freydoun Mohammadi, the provincial tourism chief, said on Sunday.

He made the remarks in a meeting with the deputy tourism minister, Ali Darabi, CHTN reported.

“We need special assistance from the ministry for restoration and maintenance of historical monuments including Khatun Bridge,” Ahmadi said.

Media reports said severe rainfall and lack of proper maintenance were key causes behind the collapse of the bridge’s deck.

The collapse provoked many criticisms (from cultural heritage lovers),” Mohammadi said.

Earlier this year, a ministry official said a budget of $160,000 is needed for the restoration of the monument. “The total estimated cost of restoring the arch bridge… will be about fifty billion rials (about $160,000),” Seyyed Hadi Ahmadi Ruini said.

Experts believe that the bridge’s foundation was constructed during the Seljuk era (1037–1194) while its other sections were thoroughly renovated in the time of Safavids (1501–1736).

Arch bridges have been built since ancient times due to the easy accessibility of stone masonry, which is an appropriate material for sustaining compressive forces. An arch bridge carries loads primarily by compression, which experts on the foundation both vertical and horizontal forces. Arch foundations must therefore prevent both vertical settling and horizontal sliding. Despite the more complicated foundation design, the structure itself normally requires less material than a beam bridge of the same span.

AM