For those unfamiliar with the intricacies of Tehran’s urban development, the city has recently made headlines with a monumental decision that promises to reshape its public transportation landscape. The Tehran Municipality, in collaboration with the thirteenth government, has inked the largest contract in the history of the Tehran Metro.
A Billion-Dollar Boost
The head of the Transportation and Traffic Deputy of Tehran Municipality, Mohsen Hormozi, announced an impressive allocation of one billion US dollars for the purchase of metro wagons. To put this in perspective for our international readers, considering the current exchange rate of 50,000 tomans to one US dollar, this investment amounts to a staggering 50 trillion tomans!
The Grand Plan
Hormozi emphasized that the municipality’s primary focus is on completing the existing metro lines. Once that’s achieved, the next step is to expand the metro network. The highlight of this initiative is the contract to purchase 791 metro wagons, marking it as the most significant contract in the metro’s history.
Financial Breakdown
Delving into the financial specifics, the initial contract for 630 metro wagons was valued at 870 million US dollars. However, with an increase in the number of wagons to 791, the total cost has now touched the billion-dollar mark. For those crunching the numbers, that’s an investment of 43.5 trillion tomans, which later increased to 50 trillion tomans.
Furthermore, Hormozi pointed out that the city has already spent close to 300 billion tomans (approximately 6 million US dollars) on train repairs. An additional 2,000 billion tomans (roughly 40 million US dollars) will be required to overhaul 29 train sets by year-end.
Looking Ahead
The revamped and new trains are expected to reduce the time interval between train movements, offering a smoother and more efficient service to Tehran’s residents and visitors. With the unwavering support of the Mayor of Tehran, the city council, and the thirteenth government, Hormozi expressed optimism that the first batch of trains from this contract would be operational by next year.