A 5.2km tunnel (2 x 2.6 km, split into two sections) is being built in Tehran. The tunnel starts from Sadr expressway and crosses Africa Blvd., Valiasr Ave., Mellat Park and ends at Niayesh expressway. At least 1400m of the tunnel is already dug.

Source:
http://www.shasa.ir/newsdetail-80743-fa.html (in Persian)

Recent photos (Oct 2010)
http://www.fardanews.com/files/fa/news/1389/7/13/56316_183.jpg

Northern ramp
http://www.fardanews.com/files/fa/news/1389/7/13/56315_630.jpg

Southern ramp
http://www.fardanews.com/files/fa/news/1389/7/13/56314_609.jpg
http://www.fardanews.com/fa/news/122138/%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%86%D9%84-%D8%B5%D8%AF%D8%B1%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%B4%D8%9B-%D8%A7%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%AC%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B4%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%AA

Great!

is the red line i drew where the tunnel is being built?

http://i55.tinypic.com/14ukfg6.jpg

Somewhat. But the Western entry stretches further to Shahrake Seoul.

I see! From what I remember there tends to be traffic most of times in Sadr Highway, but Niayesh Highway is quite most of the times.

how many damn tunnels they building?? lol but its good, with this rate iran's inner city infastrucure should be world class in a few years

Another 6km tunnel is planned. Tehran's infrastructure has changed drastically.

if about 20 years tehrans population decreases even slightly, we will see no traffic problems YESSSS

^^Better infrastructure can't simply solve all the traffic problems of Tehran. Tehran's population is increasing day to day. Not mentioning the other problems, with this high increase the traffic problem can't be solved. Other cities should be be given more money for more development, so less people come to Tehran and Tehran gets the time to build up the infrastructure and other needs that these problems get solved.

well yea when other cities develop thats when tehrans population will hopefully enter a decline

tehran's polluted air is a result of different issues, some of them can be changed, like the city's infrastructure but some factors can't be changed. like the Mountains around tehran. the Mountains around tehran don't let the polluted air go out of the city and that's the main problem I think.

^^Of course there are many factors, but I think if we get to have less cars in the streets and those cars be eco-friendly, than it'll solve the majority of the problems. I think the cars are on the top of the list, factories near Tehran & Mehrabad air-pollution are also bigger problems. There is a great potential to reduce air pollution in Tehran.

The solution to reduce Tehran's air polution: omit crappy 100cc motorcycle production and raise prices. A person who owns such motorcycle rides it everyday, refueling more often than any owner with a more powerful engine.

Motorcycles Account for 30% of Air Pollution in Tehran
http://www.payvand.com/news/10/oct/1239.html

^^Oh yes, and how I HATE them! They just use them for 'layy-keshidan'. Increase traffic and also go on the nerves of the drivers.
But, the cars do use still very much. I mean a 405 uses about 11/12 liters, Samand, Pars, etc. also approximately the same. And these are the middle-class cars, not talking about Peykan. It's double of the amount 2/3 years old Japanese, German, etc. cars use!
So, there is really a HUGE potential to reduce traffic, air-pollution, etc. in Tehran and other cities. Cities like Esfahan, Shiraz or Mashhad are also becoming more and more air polluted.

there are hardly anymore paykans. but yea the old motorcycles are wastefull and so ugly and cheap huuughh

^^Peykans are now quite less to some years ago, but still very common. It was rather for comparison. I first wanted to compare it with Kia Pride which is I think the most common car in Iran currently. But as it uses not so much fuel, it wasn't that good for such a comparison =)

true, iran should just allow the import of more european cars and maybe japanese and remove these stupid "gomrok" laws. that would honestly help so much

^^Well, I can't agree simply with this. It would destroy Iran's car industry. IKCO and SAIPA should make more environmental-friendly cars. But that's another issue now. I think we're a bit off-topic :D

off topic indeed. please continue the discussion in the cars thread.

lol yea hishki dige oonaro nemikhare, and yea lol its off topic but atleast its not political its about infastructure :)

^^I don't think that there is still something to say. So let's end it :)

any recent news on the progress of this tunnel??

Photo report:
http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/UltraPhotoGallery/514/287/%5B7%5D.07.jpg

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/UltraPhotoGallery/514/287/%5B7%5D.05.jpg

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/UltraPhotoGallery/514/287/%5B7%5D.19.jpg

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/UltraPhotoGallery/514/287/%5B7%5D.17.jpg

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/UltraPhotoGallery/514/287/%5B7%5D.16.jpg

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/UltraPhotoGallery/514/287/%5B7%5D.15.jpg

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/UltraPhotoGallery/514/287/%5B7%5D.13.jpg

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/UltraPhotoGallery/514/287/%5B7%5D.12.jpg

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/UltraPhotoGallery/514/287/%5B7%5D.11.jpg

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/UltraPhotoGallery/514/287/%5B7%5D.10.jpg

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=200

Niyayesh Tunnel Takes Advantage of Modern Technologies

Expansion of Tehran has increased problems resulting from traffic and pollution. Municipal managers are therefore, developing highways, tunnels, squares, and parks to increase quality of urban life.

Shahrnevesht reported that construction of Niyayesh tunnel is progressing as scheduled to connect Niyayesh and Sadr highways and provide access to Kordestan highway. Of course, construction is complicated due to special geographical situation and geological conditions.

Niyayesh tunnel will be 6,637 km long and will include main and accessory tunnels. Excavation is carried out over a surface area of 136 sq. m. which in some areas increases to 407 sq. m. where THE tunnel will be as high as a six-story building.

Such a surface area for digging has no precedence in the world. European standards have been applied to safety issues and ventilation and the latest technology is used to prevent fire accidents and to ventilate the tunnel.

http://en.tehran.ir/ViewArticle/tabid/77/ArticleId/108/Niyayesh-Tunnel-Takes-Advantage-of-Modern-Technologies.aspx

Update:

http://isna.ir/ISNA/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-1867220&Lang=P

updates

http://tehransama.ir/sama_media/image/2011/11/18614_orig.jpg
http://tehransama.ir/sama_media/image/2011/11/18616_orig.jpg
http://tehransama.ir/sama_media/image/2011/11/18619_orig.jpg
more pics
http://tehransama.ir/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=944197

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/UltraPhotoGallery/514/432/[7].05.jpg

east side of the tunnel met the west (main tunnel)

دو جبهه اصلي از تونل*هاي شمالي و جنوبي نيايش به يكديگر رسيدند

به*دنبال پيشرفت عمليات حفاري در تونل*هاي اصلي پروژه تونل نيايـش، چهارشنبه هفتـه گـذشتـه دو جبهـه شرقـي و غربـي از تونل شمالي در محدوده خيابان مهيار ( بعد*از تقاطع خيابان وليعصر (عج) ) به*يكديگر متصل*شدند.
تيم*هاي اجرايي در عمليات*حفاري و كنترل*هاي مضاعف دستگاه*نظارت خواند و افزود : با اتصال اين دو جبهه*، پرتال ورودي تونل شمالي در بزرگراه شهيد آيت الله*صدر با عبور از زير بزرگراه مدرس، بلوار آفريقا و خيابان وليعصر (عج) در آستانه اتصال به موقعيت پارك ملت قرارگرفت.

دكتر مازيار حسيني با بيان اينكه عمليات اجرايي در تونل جنوبي نيز با روند مشابهي پيش*مي*رود، از اتصال دو كارگاه اصلي از تونل جنوبي درحدفاصل خيابان آفريقا تا خيابان وليعصر( عج ) در روز يكشنبه 20 آذرماه خبرداد و گفت : با*لطف پروردگار متعال و همت زحمتكشان اين طرح عظيم ملي*، پيشرفت عمليات حفاري تونل نيايش به*مرز 70 درصد مي*رسد.

گفتني*است عمليات اجرايي در جبهه*های مختلف كاري پروژه احداث تونل نيايش با تلاش شبانه*روزي بیش از 2700 نفر نیروی شاغل در این طرح عظیم شهری به*پيش*مي*رود و مجريان پروژه اميدوارند با عنایات پروردگار متعال، عمليات*حفاري در موعدهاي زماني پيش*بيني شده و حتي فراتر ازآن به*پايان رسد.

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/Image/Akhbar/Moavenat/90/90-9/20azar--haed4.jpg

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/Image/Akhbar/Moavenat/90/90-9/20azar--haed3.jpg

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/Image/Akhbar/Moavenat/90/90-9/20azar-1.jpg

tehron90

istanbul's mayor visits the tunnel
http://shahr.ir/ImgGallery/estanbool1/(1).jpg
http://shahr.ir/ImgGallery/estanbool1/(4).jpg
http://shahr.ir/ImgGallery/estanbool1/(7).jpg
http://shahr.ir/ImgGallery/estanbool1/(11).jpg
http://shahr.ir/ImgGallery/estanbool1/(12).jpg
http://shahr.ir/ImgGallery/estanbool1/(15).jpg
http://shahr.ir/ViewPic.aspx?IDG=2219

http://www.tehransama.ir/sama_media/image/2012/01/20194_orig.jpg
http://www.tehransama.ir/sama_media/image/2012/01/20193_orig.jpg
http://tehransama.ir/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=946544

نخستين پارت بتن*ريزي پوشش نهايي تونل نيايش با موفقيت انجام*شد
عمليات نخستين پارت بتن*ريزي پوشش*نهايي ( Final Linning* ) پروژه احداث تونل**نيايش درمحل ورودي*غربي تونل*جنوبي با موفقيت انجام شد.
بتن*ريزي ساير بخش*هاي تونل*هاي شمالي و جنوبي نيز درمراحل آماده*سازي نهايي قرارداشته و طي روزهاي آينده عمليات بتن*ريزي درتمام بخش*هاي پيش*بيني*شده به*انجام خواهد رسيد.

http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/Image/Akhbar/Moavenat/90/90-11/9bahman---haed2.jpg
http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/Image/Akhbar/Moavenat/90/90-11/9bahman---haed3.jpg
http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/Image/Akhbar/Moavenat/90/90-11/9bahman---haed5.jpg
http://omrani.tehran.ir/Portals/0/Image/Akhbar/Moavenat/90/90-11/9bahman---haed4.jpg
http://tehron90.blogfa.com/

tunnel boring has finished, here are picks

http://www.tehransama.ir/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=948159

Finally our saviour Soroush comes with some new updates :lol:

I would have put them up here myself but my farsi reading skills sucks :(

7RZ0WwBgijM
Tehran really needs this, the traffic is horrible.

man that thing is ugly
iranian cities are going to look like these rootless and ugly chinese cities with all the long bridges

the tunnels are great though

again, this isnt the solution to traffic, this only allows more people to use cars