President Rouhani Visiting Oghab Afshan Products
In the Conference for Intracity and Intercity Transportation Fleet Renewal Plans
Attending the Conference for Intracity and Intercity Transportation Fleet Renewal Plans, President Hassan Rouhani visited 5 Oghab Afshan products; Dorsa and Maral coaches, Arian and Parsian city buses and Navigo minibus, which were exhibited at the Tehran International Exhibition Center. The mentioned products manufactured by Oghab Afshan as one of the largest vehicle manufacturing companies of the private sector in the field of intracity and intercity transportation fleet were warmly welcomed by President Rouhani and some of the ministers, including the Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade.
Dr. Rouhani outlined a plan to replace old vehicles in a bid to reduce air pollution and fuel consumption. “Those who give their worn-out vehicles to be replaced would initially have to pay part of the vehicle's price, with the rest being paid off in installments and through other incentive programs,” Rouhani said in the conference.
“Replacement of urban vehicles, particularly the older ones, is a priority,” he noted, adding that the implementation of the plan requires joint efforts by various organizations such as the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade as well as the Ministry of Petroleum.
“Modernizing the aging road fleet is the first step towards saving the environment,” the President said.
According to him, the plan is expected to help renovate the country's road fleet and remove old, polluting, and high fuel consuming heavy vehicles from the roads in three to four years.
“As a result, fuel consumption will be considerably reduced, and the saved funds would basically be used for the execution of the plan,” Rouhani said.
He added that about 5.5 million barrels of oil or its equivalent is consumed daily in the country and saving energy resources would lead to an increase in exports and foreign exchange earnings.
The President said low-quality fuel is to blame for part of the air pollution problem, adding that his administration is determined to continue taking the measures necessary to crack down on pollution and improve public health.
Rouhani also called for the development of the public transportation system, saying, “If the public transportation fleet in our country has the necessary resources to offer acceptable services, we can impose restrictions on traffic instead of shutting schools for air pollution. Domestic vehicle manufacturers can contribute greatly to the implementation of the plan to renew the road fleet,” he told reporters at the show.
Rouhani's administration had previously announced a series of measures to improve air quality, including decisions to replace a large number of dilapidated pickup trucks and city buses and add new vehicles to expand the public transportation fleet.
