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Mr Seyed Mahmood Mirian, who is presently the managing director and the chairman of the board
of New Towns Development Corporation (NTDC), holds a Bachelor’s Degree from an American
university in architecture and a Master’s Degree in urban development from Tehran University. He was
the director general for Hormozgan Province in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development from
1986 till 1993. From 1993 till 1997 he was a member of the board of directors of NTDC. He has been in
his present positions since 1997.
Events: Would you please tell
us when and why your company
was established?
Mr Mahmood Mirian: The
New Towns Development
Corporation was established
in 1989. The aim of the
company was the development
of new towns, as a part of
the macro policies of the
Ministry of Housing and Urban
Development. Its main objective
was to resolve the problem
of population explosion in
larger cities, especially Tehran,
through proper distribution of
the population and employment
opportunities, and to deal
with bioenvironmental issues.
This company has already
succeeded to make outstanding
achievements. In fact, the
establishment of new towns can
be considered as a valuable
achievement in the post-Islamic
Revolution era of Iran.
The authorities of the company
are determined to open a new
chapter in the field of town
building, and in developing
the second generation of new
towns, in particular.
E: So, your company has been
established to try to alleviate the
problem of shortage of housing
in the country.
MM: Housing has always been
and is a fundamental issue for
human beings. A high rate of
population growth, disorderly
expansion of cities, and
substandard living conditions
are serious issues in many
countries. The advancement of
technology, changing patterns of
production, allocation of a major
part of gross national product
(GNP) to industry, reduction of
employment in the agriculture
sector due to mechanization,
and growth in urban population
caused by migration of rural
inhabitants to the cities... these
are all issues that demand
solutions.
Therefore, in order to improve
the urban population settlement
patterns with due consideration
as to the provisions of the
civic facilities required, and to
prevent disorderly expansion
of cities and avoid formation
of slums and their pertaining
undesirable cultural, social
and economic outcomes in
the suburbia of major cities,
the Ministry of Housing and
Urban Development proposed
to the Iranian Cabinet the
establishment of new towns.
The proposal was ratified on 1st
March 1986.
E: Did you begin with a
documented list of aims and
objectives?
MM: Yes we did. The primary
objectives set for the company
were:
A- To implement the national
development project aimed at
the proper distribution of the
population and employment opportunities across the country
in line with national strategic
goals, paying due consideration
to our limited water, soil and
energy resources.
B- To construct residential areas
to house the employees of
new industrial entities living in
densely populated areas. These
residential complexes would be
as close to the industrial entities
as possible.
C- To aid and assist,
qualitatively and quantitatively,
the implementation of housing
development projects and thus
to balance the housing market.
E: What have you so far
achieved and what are your
plans for the future?
MM: We have already
built 18 new towns with a
total population capacity of
2,931,000, namely Pardis,
Hashtgerd, Andisheh,
Latyan, Parand, Baharestan,
Pooladshahr, Majlessi, Sahand,
Sadra, Golbahar, Binalood,
Alishahr, Mohajeran, Alavi,
Ramin, Ramshar and Tiss. They
provide thousands of square
meters of living and residential
space and are all located close
to important industrial entities,
various factories, plants and
workshops.
Presently we plan to complete
another 12 new towns within the
next few years as the second
stage of our plans.
E: Do you welcome foreign
investment and technicalexpertise from outside the
country?
MM: Yes, indeed. The Act on the
Creation of New Towns allows
private sector investment,
including investments made
by non-Iranian entities, in the
development of new residential
towns or commercial estates
and the relevant infrastructures,
such as roads, metro and
transportation networks, water
and electricity distribution
networks... Right now we
have concluded agreements
with a Chinese entity for
the construction of a metro
(underground) network in
the new town of Hashtgerd
and agreements with Rover
of Britain for producing cars
in Ramshar. There are other
foreign investors interested in
this market with whom we are
presently having discussions.
Any foreign investor who has
the slightest interest in Iran’s
construction sector is welcome
to contact us. We shall be
delighted to provide any
information required.
| Name |
Location |
Area (hectares) |
Population |
| Pardis |
25 Km east of Tehran |
2,000 |
150,000 |
| Hashtgerd |
65 Km west of Tehran |
4,000 |
500,000 |
| Andisheh |
30 Km west of Tehran |
11,000 |
100,000 |
| Latyan |
10 Km North-east of Tehran |
1,100 |
26,000 |
| Parand |
40 Km south-west of Tehran |
1,000 |
80,000 |
| Baharestan |
15 Km south-east of Esfahan-Shiraz Road |
3,000 |
320,000 |
| Poolad-Shahr |
25 Km south-west of Esfahan |
7,000 |
320,000 |
| Majlessi |
65 Km south-west of Esfahan |
3,000 |
140,000 |
| Sahand |
20 Km south west of Tabriz |
3,148 |
90,000 |
| Sadra |
15 Km north-west of Shiraz |
2,048 |
200,000 |
| Golbahar |
40 Km north-west of the Holy city of Mashhad |
4,000 |
400,000 |
| Binalood |
45 Km south-west of Holy city of Mashhad |
4,000 |
120,000 |
| Alishahr |
24 Km south-east of Boushehr city |
4,000 |
100,000 |
| Mohajeran |
28 Km west of Arak |
826 |
60,000 |
| Alavi |
40 Km north-west of Bandar Abbas |
3,000 |
100,000 |
| Ramin |
35 Km north of Ahwaz |
1,000 |
65,000 |
| Ramshahr |
35 Km from Zabol |
1,000 |
60,000 |
| Tiss |
30 Km north-west of Bay of Chabahar |
1,000 |
100,000 |
Tel: 0098-21 8779967-8776517
Fax: 0098-21 8797382
Web: www.ntoir.gov.ir  |
