Page 199 - PERSIAN 9 1931_1940

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The sum of Tomans; 20,000 which was duo to different parties, on various
accounts m connection with tlie Roads Department, in tlio begiiminj? of the vear
Ims beer, only partly paid, as the previous year’s budget had been exceeded!
the pay of tl.o staff lias usuully been in arrears.
The work on the Kormnn-Klmbis (Shahdad) motor alignment via the Sircli
pass, on which a sum of over Tomans 80,000 had been spent, remained suspended
from October 3032, to the end of 1933, and there is at present not even a talk uf
its being resumed.
No new roads were taken in hand in the province during the year.
Before leaving Tehran, in the month of August, the new Governor-General
had submitted to the Shah the proposal for making a motor road from Kerman
to Meshed via Rawar and received orders to go on with the project in co-opera­
tion with the local Road authorities, H. I. M. offering to contribute Tomans, i
10,000 from his personal pocket. On his arrival at Kerman, therefore, llio
Governor-General started making enquiries about this road, the result of which
was communicated to Tehran in a full report, and two engineers from the Minis­
try of Roads arrived in Kcnnan at the close of the year and proceeded to Rawar
with a view to inspecting the alignment and estimating the cost.
It will he remembered that the Kerman-Rawar section of this road has been
made just passable for light touring cars.
The Kennan-Bandar Abbas motor road -was closed to traffic during the first
12 days of April and for subsequent, hut shorter periods owing to tlio Tang-U
Zagh section being badly damaged by heavy rains.
The Korman-Zahidan (Duzdab) motor road was rarely used by travellers,
but the motor traffic in lorries taking goods to India was somewhat greater than
the previous year.
As already pointed out in previous reports, the only attraction of this road
is the non-payment of the Indian Customs.
(b) Security of Trade routes.—Several robberies were committed on the
Bandar Ahbas-Kerman road during the year, by outlaw's from Furs and
Buchaqcbi nomads who have their homes within and in the neighbourhood of
the Sir jail district. In all cases the Amnieli took prompt action, sometimes in co­
operation with the military, to pursue the robbers and in a few cases the stolen
property was partly recovered.
For sonic time past cars are being escorted on the dangerous sections of the
above route, and prevented from travelling at night, by men from the Amnieh
Regiment, who are often a cause of great inconvenience and the advantages of
whose presence are now and again counter-balanced by the disappearance of
various useful articles, such as loaves of sugar, etc.
On the whole, however, security was fairly well maintained and to robberies
of importance took place on the otlier roads in the province during the year.
(c) Posts.—No new Post offices were opened in the province during the
year.
The Postal services at present maintained in Kcnnan are as follows
Between Kcnnan and Tehran, via Yczd and Isfahan
including Shiraz, Meshed, etc. (by car) Tri-weekly.
Between Kerman and Bandar Abbas, via Sirjan
(by ear) * Bi-weekly.
Between Kerman and Zahidnn, via Bam (by car
from Kerman to Bam and by camel onwards) do.
Between Kerman and Rudbar, via Jiruft (partly
by ear and partly by donkey Weekly.
Between Kerman and Rawar, via Zcrind (donkey)
Between Kerman and Sliahdad (donkey)
Barring n few cases of temporary interruption, duo to rain and snow, the
alpve services wer* jnaintained fairly regularly .throughout the year.