The Geocoded National Address File (GNAF) project in Iran began in 1395( 2016), starting with cities and metropolises that had more information and facilities. Currently, GNAF has been implemented in approximately 800 out of the country’s 1,400 cities. The project is now operational in 80% of Tehran and major cities across the country.
According to IDEA, Mohammadreza Ghaderi, a board member of Iran Post and the head of the National Post Company’s Innovation Center, discusses the status of the GNAF project in Iran: GNAF is a database that standardizes and geocodes the addresses of all buildings and spatial units in cities and villages across the country. The existing addresses in the country are descriptive addresses, meaning that they describe how to find a particular location. In this case, it’s possible for one location to have multiple address references, which can sometimes lead to misuse of addresses.
He continues: Therefore, it’s necessary for every location to have a standardized address. If we can link this address to a location or geographical position on a map, many applications in the digital world become possible. Postal codes or standardized addresses require that all property details be identified and collected in a database. This matter has significant uses. In natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, and critical situations, GNAF proves to be extremely useful and practical.
GNAF Project in Iran
According to Ghaderi, the GNAF project in our country began in 2016, with the National Post Company heading the project. Other organizations such as the Surveying and Mapping Organization, the Geographical Organization, and the Armed Forces are also involved in the preparation and execution of this project.
Ghaderi continues: Naturally, this project started with cities and major cities that had more information and facilities. The implementation has been carried out as far as there were maps and street names available. Currently, with 1,400 cities in Iran, the project has been implemented in more than 800 cities. The project began with the most populous cities and has covered 80% of Tehran and major cities. In terms of the number of cities, it has covered over 50% of Iranian cities.
However, a 100% completion rate is not achievable, not only in Iran but in all countries worldwide. This is due to the fact that addresses are always changing with developments such as construction, and therefore, maps need to be updated every two years. Additionally, the maps provided to the postal service are not always up-to-date, and some streets have no names. Even in Tehran, there are places without assigned addresses or properties without completion. These are reasons why a 100% completion is not attainable for the database. However, in terms of progress, the project has advanced as far as the maps, street layers, and building numbers allow. Full 100% coverage has been achieved once for Tehran, but due to ongoing construction and changes, we continually provide coverage for these changes.
Former CEO of the Post Company stated in 2020 that the “Geocoded National Address File (GNAF)” project has progressed by 80% and is expected to be completed within a year. Unfortunately, it seems that the growth rate of the project and its completion are much slower than what managers had predicted.
GNAF Status in Villages
Ghaderi adds: The GNAF project in villages started almost three years ago in collaboration with the Housing Foundation, which is responsible for rural maps. We are in the process of taking action in over a few thousand villages. However, the main obstacles are not up-to-date maps. By maps, we don’t mean photographs; we mean maps that have processed and identified street layers. This has not yet been developed or updated for small and less populated towns. Anonymous street layers need to be named and identified, and buildings without numbers need to be assigned.
Development Solution
Ghaderi mentions the development of the project: The municipality is responsible for installing plaques, and we’re trying to promote the coordination of plaques with postal codes through the municipality. Regarding the map issues, we’re working on bilateral and multilateral agreements with relevant authorities. We’re not the ones responsible for map production, but we’re striving to contribute to this project as much as we can within our scope. We’re collaborating with other entities involved in the project, such as the National Cartographic Center, the Geographical Organization, the Armed Forces, and the Housing Foundation. Regarding street layers and plaque allocation, we’re interacting with municipalities to create a comprehensive database and expand coverage.
Ghaderi believes that the Organization of Deeds and Properties can establish better interaction with the National Post Company since they possess property databases. However, the technical and mapping discussions hinder their collaboration with the postal service from progressing at a faster pace. He states, “We don’t need accuracy down to centimeters for the GNAF project. The approximate property boundaries are sufficient. Collaboration with the Organization of Deeds and Properties can expedite the GNAF project in the country, and accelerating this project is beneficial for the entire community.
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