Introduction

History of the Ministry of Roads and Transportation

The structure of the Ministry of Roads and Transportation has been faced with frequent changes and evolutions as a result of national exigency during all these years. These evolutions have progressed according to following categorizations.

The Ministry of Public Benefits

In 1877, during the reign of Naseredin Shah, the Ministry of Public Benefits was established which was in charge of constructing the roads and bridges as well as their maintenance. The duties of this Ministry expanded afterwards and this brought a new name to this Ministry as “Ministry of Public Benefits and Trading and Agriculture Affairs”. During this period the expenses of road construction used to be provided through toll collection in toll gates and this financial source did use to exceed more than 3,000,000 million Rials annually.

General Bureau of Roads and Streets

In 1922, General Bureau of Roads and Streets was established in the Ministry of Public Benefits and Trading and Agriculture Affairs which was in charge of roads construction, maintenance and operation.
This Bureau categorized road networks in to numerous divisions with designing responsibilities for each of them. 

Establishment of Ministry of Roads and Streets

In 1929, National Consultative Assembly, then Majlis, passed a law to name General Bureau of Roads and Streets, as Ministry of Roads and Streets. By establishment of this Ministry ,road construction was accelerated and with facilities which were available on that time, road making projects and plans were continued.

Formation of Ministry of Roads

In 1936, the National Consultative Assembly passed a law and renamed the Ministry of Roads and Streets to the Ministry of Roads.

Changing “Ministry of Roads” to “Ministry of Roads and Transportation”

In July 6th, 1974 the Ministry accepted a new name as “Ministry of Roads and Transportation” in order to have a comprehensive and coordinated policy concerning national transportation, development and equipment, maintenance and provision of infrastructural utilities according to circumstances of social, economical and civil developments and also national defense with respect to laws and legislations.