April 01, 2018
The Darreh Khazineh suspension bridge, in the northwestern province of Lorestan, has been destroyed by an unknown person or persons, according to Saffar Abdolvand, the police commander for Pol-e Dokhtar county. “We promise to find the culprit or the culprits as soon as possible,” Abdolvand said.
Ali Azizi, the head of the Pol-e Dokhtar office for the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Handicraft and Tourism Organization (ICHTO), confirmed the news. “The bridge was cut and dismantled in the village of Magin on the Ilam side,” Azizi said.
“The suspension bridge is 112 meters long and 85 meters high and stretches across the Lorestan-Ilam border. On March 26, a person or persons unfastened the bridge on the Ilam side, causing it to collapse,” Amir Qasemi, the head of the Lorestan office for the ICHTO, told ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency.) He added: “The bridge is not a registered tourist site. But it has gradually become a popular destination for visitors to the region.”
The Ministry of Energy built the bridge over the Seimare River in 2003 to help the Karkheh Dam Research Group 2, but the site quickly became a tourist attraction. According to Pol-e Dokhtar governor office, there are no security guards or CCTV on or near the bridge.
The bridge did not meet health and safety standards. It is not clear why authorities hadn’t improved safety and security measures at the site.
