Kandovan Tunnel
 Kandovan in 2024 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Other name(s) | 11th Tunnel of Chalus Road |
| Coordinates | 36°09'13.8"N 51°18'44.0"E |
| Crosses | Kandovan Pass (2980m) |
| Operation | |
| Work begun | 1935 |
| Opened | 17 May 1938 |
| Closed | 1995 |
| Reopened | 2002 |
| Technical | |
| Length | 1883 meters |
| No. of lanes | two |
| Operating speed | 60 km/h |
| Highest elevation | 2650m (8,733ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 2600m |
| Tunnel clearance | 6m |
| Width | 5.5m |
Kandovan Tunnel (officially 11th Tunnel) is a major road tunnel on Chalus Road, Iran. The 1,883 meter tunnel crosses Alborz, connecting Alborz province to Mazandaran province. It was built in 1938 as one of the first tunnels in Iran, in order to make the nearest road from Tehran to Caspian Sea passable in harsh winter times.
History
[edit]Prior to construction of Kandovan Tunnel, travelling from Tehran to Mazandaran in this section of Alborz Range was usually impossible in winter and early spring.[1] In 1865, by the commission of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, an Austrian engineer named Albert Joseph Gasteiger built a paved road (for horseback riding, the method of travelling at the time) from Marzanabad to Gach Sar but Kandovan Pass, the highest point of that road, remained difficult for travel.[2]
After the invention of automobiles, the demand for a road suitable for vehicles with rubber tires (instead of horse drawn carriages and the like) grew. In 1935, by the commission of Reza Shah, the existing road was ordered to be widened (see Chalus Road), repaved, and a new tunnel that could cross the Kandovan Pass be built. On 17 May 1938, the new tunnel was officially opened in the presence of the Pahlavi king and his young crown prince. The construction cost was 24,853,400 rials (1,461,964 USD then, 33,332,795 USD in 2025).[3][4][5]
Renovation
[edit]Kandovan Tunnel was not built to be sufficiently wide and high for safe passage of two-passenger autos or high trucks traveling at high speed. Two police officers had to stand at either end of the tunnel, guiding drivers by letting them inside in groups, and stopping traffic from the opposite side. After half a century, the population of Iran had doubled; transit through the Kandovan Tunnel became a major challenge.
In 1995, by the commission of the government of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, addressing the problem began. The project soon became a challenge itself, since the moist and weak soil made the tunnel collapse many times during its construction. After seven years (four years more than the construction time for the original tunnel), renovation was finished.[6][7]
Tehran-Shomal Freeway
[edit]A huge project to connect Tehran to the shores of the Caspian Sea, via a modern toll highway, began in 1995. After three decades, 3 of 4 sections of the Tehran-Shomal Freeway was partially opened to traffic. One section is the 6,400 meter-long Alborz Tunnel that was opened in 2021 (the western Alborz Tunnel).[8] Due to this new roadway, Kandovan Tunnel has lost its original importance. As of July 2025, Kandovan Tunnel is only used by those travelling south, from Karaj, and travelers who want to enjoy the scenery along the way. (There is no eastern Alborz Tunnel yet.)[9]
Gallery
[edit]-
official opening ceremony, 1938 -
Kandovan Tunnel at 1960s -
Reza Shah and his crown price (future Shah) at Kandovan -
Reza Shah and his crown price (future Shah) at Kandovan
References
[edit]- ^ "Road Tunnels - Iranian Tunneling Association". irta.ir. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
- ^ "Gasteiger, Albert Joseph". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
- ^ "برای ساخت تونل کندوان چقدر پول و چقدر دینامیت مصرف شد؟". fa (in Persian). 17 May 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
- ^ "افتتاح تونل کندوان". هم‌میهن (in Persian). 6 July 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
- ^ "ساخت جاده چالوس چقدر طول کشید؟+تصاویر". fa (in Persian). Retrieved 6 July 2025.
- ^ "نماينده مردم نوشهر در مجلس: عمليات تعريض تونل كندوان بدون مبناي علمي و پشتوانه مطالعات فني آغاز شد". www.isna.ir. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
- ^ "مدير گروه زمين‌شناسي مهندسي سازمان زمين‌شناسي: توجه به مخاطرات فرونشست در تونل «كندوان» ضروري است". www.isna.ir. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
- ^ "WA's Longest road tunnel manifesting Iran's engineering power". Mehr News Agency. 16 September 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
- ^ "President Rouhani inaugurates roads, urban development plans". en.irna.ir. Retrieved 6 July 2025.