November 10, 2017
Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Ali Najafi says Metro Line 7 was launched in haste last spring, flaunts safety rules and will be closed down until repairs are made.
“It will take at least take six months of hard work to make the line operational and safe,” the daily Donya-e Eqtesad reported.
The main safety hazard is said to be the absence of adequate ventilation in the tunnel.
Najafi says, “The line should have been closed earlier. However, the welcome accorded to the line by the residents of the capital made the municipality rather reluctant to shut it down.”
Line 7 has been an enduring saga since its partial opening June 10 under previous Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf. He is accused by public transport officials and independent urban planners of “rushing” to open the line with little regard to safety.
Tehran City Council Chairman Rahmatollah Hafezi is a staunch critic who has often warned about the safety issues. “There is no proper ventilation system along the 22-kilometer line,” he has been quoted as saying.
He says the distance between two stations on the line is six kilometers, but there is no escape route so, in the event of a mishap, commuters would have to walk along the unventilated tunnel to the nearest station.”
Line 7, which connects the capital’s northwestern flank to the southeastern parts, was scheduled for completion by 2015, but after nearly two years only seven stations have been opened.
The city’s subway system comprises six lines (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 – line 3 and 7 have yet to be completed) with nearly 100 stations. Line 6 is still under construction. According to Metro officials, after completion, the subway system will have the capacity to carry 9 million passengers every day, up from the current 3 million.
