Shohadaye Ashrafol-Belad Behshahr Bridge (), also known as Gelvard Bridge, is a steel through arch bridge in Behshahr County, Mazandaran Province, Iran. It is the largest bridge in northern Iran, located on the Valam River (Rudbar), which is the catchment area of the Gelvard Dam.
The bridge is long, wide, and stands above the river bed. It serves as the final piece of the great Gelvard Dam project, and with its operation, the complete impoundment of the dam becomes possible.
This structure is three times larger than the historic Veresk Bridge and is the fourth bridge of its type in Iran. After the Karun-4 arch bridge, it is considered the second steel arch bridge in the country and plays an important role in improving regional communications and transportation between the southern areas of Behshahr County and the central region.
Location
The bridge is located in the region, near the village of Valam in Yaneh Sar District of Behshahr County. It is constructed over the Rudbar River (Valam), which serves as the catchment area for the Gelvard Dam.
Construction history
Construction work on the bridge began on March 3, 2017 (13 Esfand 1395 SH) and was officially inaugurated on February 4, 2026 (16 Bahman 1404 SH) with the presence of provincial officials. The main purpose of constructing this bridge was to maintain road access for villages upstream of the Gelvard Dam after the complete impoundment of its reservoir. With the dam's impoundment, the road connections of several villages in the area that were within the reservoir zone would have been disrupted, and the construction of this bridge guaranteed access for residents of 60 villages to the main road network.
In September 2025 (Shahrivar 1404 SH), Mehdi Younesi Rostami, Governor of Mazandaran, announced the completion of asphalt paving and declared the bridge ready for official inauguration.
Technical specifications
The technical specifications of the bridge are as follows:
General Specifications Structure type Steel, Through Arch Length Width Height above river Number of spans 18 spansConstruction Information Start of construction March 3, 2017 End of construction August 1, 2025 Official inauguration February 4, 2026 Construction cost 700 billion tomans (approximately) Design company Machine Sazi Arak Construction company Machine Sazi Arak Consultant company - Client and bridge authority Mazandaran Regional Water Company
Significance and Function
Rural connectivity: The most important function of this bridge is to provide connectivity for 60 villages upstream of the Gelvard Dam to the main road network. With the impoundment of the Gelvard Dam, the old roads were submerged, and this bridge is now the only route for residents in the area. During the inauguration ceremony, the Governor of Mazandaran emphasized that "the access time for people to urban centers has been significantly reduced."
Regional development: This bridge plays an important role in improving regional communications and transportation between the southern areas of Behshahr County and the central region. Facilitating resident mobility and developing economic exchanges in eastern Mazandaran are among other achievements of this infrastructure project.
Comparison with Veresk Bridge: At the inauguration ceremony, the Governor of Mazandaran described this bridge as being three times larger than the historic Veresk Bridge in terms of dimensions, indicating the magnitude of this engineering project.
Tourism: Given the bridge's height of above the river and its scenic view of the Gelvard Dam and surrounding nature, this structure could become one of the tourist attractions in the region.
Inauguration
The bridge was officially inaugurated on Thursday, February 4, 2026 (16 Bahman 1404 SH), commemorating the anniversary of the Fajr Ten Day, with the presence of Mehdi Younesi Rostami, Governor of Mazandaran, and several other officials from the province and Behshahr County.
References
External links Report on Gelvard Bridge at IRIB News Inauguration report at IRNA Photo gallery at Khazarnama