Alleged Seizure of 1,500 Land Plots in Khavarshahr

Unclear Land Ownership and Environmental Pollution Among Khavarshahr's Top Problems, Says Tehran City Council Member

According to the report of Ambassador Arjan Nasser Amani, in the 438th meeting of the Islamic Council of Tehran, during the presentation of the neighborhood tour report of Khavarshahr neighborhood, he said: Khavarshahr is located in the 8th district of the 15th district of Tehran municipality and its population is about 25 thousand people. Including the surrounding villages that use part of the services of this neighborhood, the population of the area reaches about 35 thousand people.

Referring to the residents' satisfaction with an important part of Tehran's municipal services, especially cleaning, commuting, bus development and the state of green spaces, he noted: However, Khavarshahr is facing problems, a significant part of which is due to the dispersion of responsibility among different institutions, the uncertainty of the ownership of some properties, access problems, and environmental pollution.

Amani said about the dispersion of management and the multiplicity of responsible institutions: One of the most important issues in Khavarshahr is the specific management and administrative situation of this neighborhood. In terms of country divisions, Khavarshahr is located in the governorate of Ray city, but Tehran municipality has been voluntarily providing urban services to this area since last years. On the other hand, other administrative and public services are distributed among different institutions. The police station, education and health services operate under the supervision of the relevant agencies in Ray city. Water affairs are also dependent on Ray city, Mellat bank is located in Varamin subdivision and electricity services are provided through Khavaran area.

This member of the Tehran City Council emphasized: This dispersion has caused the residents to go to several administrative complexes to follow up on various issues, and in some cases, it is not clear which institution should answer their problems.

He added: One of the main demands of the residents is the transfer of Khavarshahr from Ray governorate to Tehran governorate and establishing greater coordination between the responsible institutions. Clarifying the limits of the authorities' responsibilities and creating a specific mechanism to follow up neighborhood issues is one of the necessities of managing this area.

A member of the Program and Budget Commission of the Islamic Council of Tehran, stating that another important problem in Khavarshahr is the ownership status of about 320 residential plates related to the Defense Industries Housing Cooperative, he recalled: According to the residents, these lands were assigned to them about 40 years ago through the cooperative and they have the assignment documents, but after several decades, the status of issuing the ownership documents has not yet been determined.

He added: the residents say that to solve this problem, they have been asked to pay the price of the land at the daily rate; While they believe that they have received the lands before through the cooperative and they should not face such a demand again after four decades.

Stating that the residents stated that despite having the handover documents in their possession, when they go to the responsible institutions, they are referred to file a complaint in the judicial authorities, Amani clarified: This is despite the fact that the units in question are currently the residences of families and according to them, they have to pay huge sums in the range of 5 billion tomans.

This member of the Tehran City Council, referring to the issue of possession of about 1,500 pieces of land, said: During the visit, the issue of land possession in the area next to the canal was also raised.

Amani added: According to the residents, there are about 1,500 plots of land in this area, whose owners claim that their lands have been seized illegally and have been in the hands of other people for several years. The residents also announced that in some of these lands, ponds were created for breeding fish and wells were dug without permission. This issue requires the review of ownership documents, the status of land occupation and exploitation permits. It is expected that the responsible institutions, including the relevant judicial and administrative authorities, will determine the status of these lands by examining the documents of the parties.

Amani said about the 1,877-meter canal and its safety and environmental pollution risks: Another serious problem in Khavarshahr is the canal located at the end of the Khavarshahr road towards Mahmudabad. According to residents, in addition to creating environmental problems, this canal has caused concerns for the safety of residents, especially children.

Referring to the problem of accumulation of sludge, increase of vermin and pollution around the canal, he mentioned: According to them, dredging of the canal was done twice in some years, but these measures were not enough to solve the problems. The municipality of the region has taken measures to prevent people, especially children, from falling, including installing guards, which is commendable; However, the main demand of the residents is the basic organization of the canal, including the possibility of transferring it to the underground route.

Amani added: Based on the explanations provided, the main responsibility of this canal rests with the water and sewerage company, and the basic handling of it will require the entry of the responsible body and coordination with the municipality. Of course, if the plan to cover the canal is implemented, the way to use the created space should also be determined so that this area does not become a place for unsafe movement of motorcycles or other high-risk activities.

Emphasizing the improvement of the entrance to Khavarshahr and fixing the accident-prone areas, this member of the council said: The condition of the entrance to Khavarshahr and some internal intersections was also one of the issues emphasized by the residents. The residents want to acquire and withdraw the properties located at the entrance of the neighborhood so that the road can be widened and adapted. According to them, a part of the target area is located in the municipality of Region 20, and the implementation of the plan requires the cooperation and coordination of this region.

He continued: In addition to these cases, the installation of surveillance cameras, widening and adaptation of the entrance to Khavarshahr has also been proposed and according to the explanations provided, it is on the agenda.

This member of the Tehran City Council said: According to the resolution of the Tehran Islamic Council regarding the organization of the entrances to the capital, the people request that the entrance gate to Tehran from the Khorasan side, in the area of ​​Khavaran and in front of Khavarshahr, be placed and implemented.

Stating that a part of the road located in the border area of districts 15 and 20 of Tehran Municipality still lacks asphalt, Amani reminded: According to the residents, due to the lack of clear responsibility of the relevant agencies, neither the municipality nor the governorate have taken effective measures to organize and asphalt this section.

He said about the pollution caused by the cement factory: One of the most important environmental complaints of the residents is the pollution caused by the activity of the cement factory in the periphery of Khavarshahr. According to residents, the dust caused by the factory's activity settles on their houses, roofs, trees and cars and affects their daily life. Residents also claim that from around 12 noon onwards, the operation of the factory's pollution control equipment changes and the emission of dust increases. People's demand is continuous and effective use of pollution control equipment, regular monitoring of factory output and dealing with possible violations.

Referring to the parking of trucks in internal roads, Amani said: Another problem of the neighborhood is the parking of trucks in the streets and internal roads of Khavarshahr. Some residents own trucks and park their heavy vehicles inside the neighborhood. In addition to occupying the space of the roads, this situation has created problems for residents to travel and use the streets. In the past, land has been planned for the construction of a parking lot for truckers, but it has not been used so far.

He added: The residents want to determine the assignment of this land, to create a suitable place for heavy vehicles to stop and to prevent trucks from parking on residential roads. Installing surveillance cameras at the entrance and exit of the neighborhood can help the traffic police monitor the traffic of heavy vehicles and improve the security of the area.

Amani said about the transfer of Shush paper dealers and waste burning: Another important environmental problem in Khavarshahr is the activity of waste centers and paper dealers in the western part and the vicinity of the neighborhood. According to the residents, some of the paper sellers in Shush area have moved to the surrounding areas of Khavarshahr and their activities have caused problems for the people. Residents say that the waste and garbage of these centers are burned in the open, especially at night, and the resulting smoke reaches the neighborhood.

The member of Tehran city council also mentioned the activities of garages in the area of ​​Imam Reza road and Mahmoodabad road and said: According to people, part of the waste of these centers is burned on the spot instead of being collected and transferred. The residents said that part of the land used by these centers was a pomegranate garden in the past, and after the gardens were destroyed, it became a place for garages and paper dealers. During the talks, allegations were also raised about the trade of stolen cars, unauthorized use of electricity and unlicensed activities.

Referring to the accumulation of garbage and refuse in the western area, Amani said: despite the good state of cleanliness inside Khavarshahr, in the western part and the border area towards Mahmudabad, a place approximately 150 to 200 meters long has become a place of accumulation of garbage and garbage. According to the residents, the origin of the transfer of these wastes is not known, and fires and burning of waste also occur in this area.

He continued: The issue of the responsibility of the Municipality of Region 20 and other institutions in dealing with this area has been raised, but no effective action has been taken to completely resolve the problem.

This member of the Tehran City Council said about the high price of water consumption: the water consumption of residential units in Khavarshahr is supplied through the branch related to the Mamlo dam. One of the residents' complaints is the high price of water compared to some surrounding areas. According to them, the tariff or the method of calculating the water price is such that more costs are imposed on the households of Khavarshahr. This issue needs to be investigated by the water and sewerage company and a clear announcement of the basis for calculating the tariffs to determine what factors are the cause of the difference and whether it is possible to correct it or not.

Referring to the project of 30,000 units of an organization, Amani said: In front of Khavarshahr, a large residential project of one of the organizations with a capacity of 30,000 units is being implemented. Considering the dimensions of this project, one of the serious concerns is the lack of per capita provision of the required services in the short term.

He continued: If educational facilities, medical facilities, transportation, public services and other necessary infrastructures are not provided at the same time as the construction of residential units, a significant part of the demand of the new population will be transferred to Khavarshahr.

This member of the council emphasized: This issue can put additional pressure on the current services of the neighborhood, which have been formed for its existing population.

Pointing to the good condition of the green space and satisfaction with the cleanliness of the neighborhood, Amani said: One of the positive points of the visit was the condition of the green space in Khavarshahr. Per capita green space in the neighborhood is about 18 square meters per person, which is higher than the average of Tehran city. Khavarshahr has a good situation in this respect and maintaining this capacity should be taken into consideration.

He continued: Also, the condition of cleanliness and movement of the neighborhood was favorable and the residents were satisfied with the performance of the municipality in this area. In general, the municipal services in the field of cleaning and green spaces are considered to be one of the strengths of Khavarshahr and efforts should be made to maintain these conditions while appreciating the measures taken.

Amani said about schools and educational facilities of the neighborhood: Khavarshahr has a good situation in terms of educational spaces compared to many surrounding neighborhoods. Schools in different levels of education, except the girls' conservatory, operate in the neighborhood and, in addition to the students of Khavarshahr, they also meet part of the educational needs of the surrounding villages and neighborhoods.

A member of Tehran City Council, referring to the semi-functional mosque of Khavarshahr, said: Khavarshahr has two mosques and a neighborhood hall, and in terms of religious and cultural facilities, part of the general needs of the residents have been provided. However, the large building intended for the construction of a mosque has remained unfinished for about 10 years. Suitable land has been allocated for this project and the skeleton of the building has been implemented, but its completion has been stopped.

He continued: According to the residents, Friday prayers are currently held in one of the mosques and the existing space meets the needs of the neighborhood. Based on this, the residents' main proposal is to turn the half-completed Mosalli building into a hospital with technical and legal review, and if this proposal is not possible, it should be used to create a cultural and educational complex.

Amani said about the health care services of the neighborhood: In Khavarshahr, two clinics are operating under the supervision of Ray city health complex. Also, there is a private clinic with treatment facilities and dialysis services in the area, and two 24-hour pharmacies also provide services to the people. Also, considering the distance of Khavarshahr from some medical centers and the necessity of quick transfer of patients in emergency situations, it was suggested that the bus yard, which has had a history of helicopter emergency landing before, be used to create an emergency helicopter landing site after technical and safety checks.

Referring to the development of bus services and residents' satisfaction, he said: One of the positive actions of Tehran Municipality in Khavarshahr is the development of public transportation services. In addition to building a suitable terminal, the municipality has increased the number of buses assigned to the neighborhood and new buses have entered the routes. According to the explanations provided, the distance of buses is about 20 minutes and people are satisfied with the improvement of public transportation.

This member of the Tehran city council said about sports facilities and the problem of fuel supply: Khavarshahr has two important sports complexes, including Imam Reza Multipurpose Stadium and Khavarshahr Martyrs Sports Complex. However, Shahada Khavarshahr sports complex has faced problems in providing fuel. This complex operates with diesel fuel, and the reduction of quota or fuel supply has limited its use.

He continued: According to local officials, it is possible to supply gas to the complex, and even 170 million Tomans have been paid for this purpose, but the gas supply operation has not yet been completed.

Referring to the demands of the residents of this neighborhood, Amani clarified: determining the administrative and administrative status of Khavarshahr, solving ownership problems and issuing residential documents, organizing the canal at the end of the road from Khavarshahr to Mahmoudabad, improving the entrance to Khavarshahr and fixing the accident-prone points, dealing with land acquisition, reviewing and correcting the price of water consumption, determining the task of the half-finished Mosalli building, organizing paper shops and removing environmental pollution, completing and organizing services and facilities. Generalizing the neighborhood and dealing with the problems of the border areas and strengthening relief services are among the requests of the residents of Khavarshahr neighborhood.