The Sasanid era Khosrow hunting ground is located in Kermanshah in the southern section of the Taq-e Bostan historical site. It was enclosed by four large walls made of mud bricks.

According to the regulations of the High Council for Urbanization, all construction in historical regions is strictly prohibited.

The Kermanshah Governor General’s Office has declared that the Shahid Sayyad Shirazi Overpass will help reduce traffic, although experts say that the overpass will do little to alleviate traffic congestion.

The director of Iran’s Historical Structures Department said on Saturday that a comprehensive plan for construction projects was approved in Kermanshah in 2001, according to which provincial officials must consult and cooperate with Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (CHTO) officials in all projects affecting historical areas, but the Kermanshah Governor General’s Office never held consultations with the CHTO on construction of the overpass.

After the construction process began, the Kermanshah Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department filed a letter of complaint, but the court ruled that the construction should continue, saying the documents submitted were insufficient, Mohammad-Ali Tabarsa added.

CHTO representatives pursued the matter, and construction has now been halted for one week to provide time to resolve the issue.

Unfortunately, this is not the only case of construction work threatening a historical region.

For example, Taq-e Bostan will surely lose its chance to be registered on the World Heritage List if plans to construct a cable car line at the site are implemented.

Meanwhile, construction of a petrochemical factory in Kermanshah Province near the Bistun site, which dates back to the sixth century BC, has also troubled cultural heritage enthusiasts.