The Golserk military fortifications, one of Iran's historical and nationally registered sites, have recently become the center of attention. The road widening operations of Saravan - Imamzadeh Hashem (AS), located near this area, have raised serious concerns among locals and cultural heritage activists. The deafening sounds of construction machinery near these historical buildings remind us of the bitter stories that have been repeated many times in recent years.
History of Golserk Military Fortifications
The area of the Golserk military fortifications was registered as one of Iran's national heritage sites in September 2021. This complex includes hand-dug tunnels, watchtowers, and rooms that were used for the deployment of soldiers and storage of ammunition in the late Qajar period. The length of the tunnels is estimated to be approximately 700 meters, and there are 15 guard towers in this complex. Despite this historical richness, the risk of damage to this site has increased due to the road widening operations.
Local Reactions and Heritage Concerns
The Director General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts of Gilan responded to these concerns by stating that all stages of the road widening will be conducted under the supervision of this department. Youssef Salman-Khah emphasized that soil removal should be done gradually and that cultural heritage considerations must be observed during the project execution. He also mentioned the establishment of a cultural heritage protection team on-site and announced cooperation between the Cultural Heritage Department and the Road Maintenance Department to advance the project.
However, these statements have not alleviated the concerns of the Golserk village residents. Many of them oppose the widening of this road, believing that neglecting the history and identity of this area could lead to irreparable damage. The village mayor criticized the lack of a protective boundary set by cultural heritage authorities, emphasizing that this issue has created ambiguity in the execution of operations.
Sajjad Soulat Shahrani, a tourism activist and one of the Golserk residents, pointed out that the hand-dug tunnels of Golserk are part of the identity and historical memory of this land, stating: "In the name of development, we should not destroy our past and our possessions." He added that despite concerns for security and welfare in the local community, the increased influx of travelers without regard to infrastructure capacity has created many problems.
The Saravan - Imamzadeh Hashem (AS) road has been introduced as an important tourist route; however, it seems that the negative impacts of this project on Golserk's cultural and historical heritage need to be carefully examined. Given that new plans are in place to operationalize part of the project by the end of this year and another part for next year, the need for close supervision over the implementation of this plan is felt more than ever.
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