Narges Soleimani, a member of the Islamic City Council of Tehran, criticized the change in the function of urban kiosks from cultural to multifunctional stores during the four hundred and fortieth session of the City Council. She stated that in the past two decades, the decline of print media has changed the nature of kiosks, saying: "These kiosks are no longer recognized as cultural centers and have turned into places for the sale of various goods and ambiguous services."
Deficiency in Oversight and Expansion of Kiosks
Soleimani referred to Clause 1 of Row 2 of Article 55 of the Municipalities Law, declaring unauthorized occupation of public thoroughfares as prohibited. She added: "Unfortunately, due to lack of effective oversight, some individuals have turned kiosks into special profit-making advantages under the pretext of relocation or transfer of rights. In some areas, we are witnessing the sudden emergence of several kiosks in close proximity to each other."
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Citizens' Concerns and Social Consequences
This City Council member also pointed to the unprincipled dispersion of kiosks and the duality in law enforcement, stating: "This issue not only creates skepticism among citizens but is also intolerable from the perspective of passive defense." Narges Soleimani emphasized that these conditions could lead to public dissatisfaction and a decrease in citizens' trust in urban management.
During this session, Mahdi Chamran, the President of the Islamic City Council of Tehran, also responded to Soleimani's remarks, confirming them and announcing the firm position of urban management. He said: "The transfer of kiosks is legally prohibited; this law is not new and has been in place since the 1980s. No additional kiosks should be created, and the overall plan has been to dismantle these kiosks."
Narrow Thoroughfares and Health Issues
Chamran also referred to the narrowness of pedestrian pathways and their occupation by some kiosks, stating: "Unfortunately, it has come to the point where some kiosks have turned into places for cooking and serving food, blocking the passage for people by placing tables and chairs on the sidewalk. Eating in public and on narrow sidewalks is not appropriate."
The President of the Islamic City Council of Tehran emphasized at the end that severe citizen dissatisfaction has been reported to the council and called for decisive action on this issue. He said: "We officially request the unit responsible for organization and obstruction to decisively address this issue and will emphasize in a letter to the Mayor of Tehran that the development, transfer, and even relocation of kiosks should not take place at all."
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