Iran

Urban Development in Tehran

Mr Razachy

What I find amazing about Tehran is that you can notice whether it is a weekday or a holiday by the level of pollution hanging over Tehran . On normal weekdays you can hardly see the city, especially in the winters. On the weekends and holidays however, everyone leaves the city which minimises the haze.

The haze and the pollution feels especially bad during the winter. The low clouds and the surrounding mountains push the clouds and trap the pollution in the valley. It can keep the pollution trapped for long periods of time and you can feel it in every breath. I think that this is why we don't get the snow falls we used to. I know that my children will miss out on seeing those times forever. In summer it clears up and you can often see the city, but it so much hotter than it used to be. If I had to live in the centre of Tehran I think I would go crazy, it just get so unbearable in there.

I feel that one of the biggest changes to Tehran is the people. In the past there was more of a community atmosphere. On New Year's Eve for example, families would all go to the streets and visit one another. Families and friends were sincere and trustworthy. Nowadays, I feel as though we have lost the community spirit. Families now live too far away from each other, it's now impossible to maintain close family ties. The city is just too big.

It definitely wasn't like that when I was growing up in Tehran . I sometimes wish my life was a film, I would then be able to go back and recreate my childhood. It feels as though the only solution to Tehran 's development issues is a miracle.