In a written statement, Uraloğlu reported that they have conducted significant work as the ministry to equip Istanbul with modern rail systems from end to end.
Uraloğlu pointed out that the total length of the metro lines they have completed and put into service in Istanbul is 147.7 kilometers, stating, “The total rail system network of Istanbul has now reached 348 kilometers. Almost half of these lines have been constructed by our ministry.”
Uraloğlu reminded that they opened the Bakırköy Sahil-Bahçelievler-Güngören-Bağcılar-Kirazlı line, the Gayrettepe-Istanbul Airport metro’s Gayrettepe-Kağıthane section, the Arnavutköy-Istanbul Airport line, and the Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme Rail System and Pedestrian-Focused Next Generation Transportation Project in the first quarter of the year.
Uraloğlu also highlighted that, as the ministry, they have undertaken the construction of the Marmaray, Levent-Hisarüstü, Pendik-Sabiha Gökçen Airport, Gayrettepe-Kağıthane-Istanbul Airport, Başakşehir-Çam and Sakura City Hospital metros, Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme Rail System and Pedestrian-Focused Next Generation Transportation Project, Bakırköy-Bahçelievler-Güngören-Bağcılar-Kirazlı, Arnavutköy-Istanbul Airport metro lines in Istanbul.
According to Uraloğlu, construction works continue on the Halkalı-Arnavutköy and Altunizade-Çamlıca Mosque-Bosna Boulevard metro lines.
Uraloğlu conveyed that, in accordance with the decision published in the Official Gazette with the signature of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the construction of the Bosna Boulevard-Bahçelievler-Kazım Karabekir Rail System Line has also been undertaken by the ministry.
Uraloğlu emphasized that one of the most important metro projects they have implemented in Istanbul is the Başakşehir-Çam and Sakura City Hospital-Kayaşehir metro line, and continued his statement as follows:
“When we took over this line, the physical progress was at 5%. 24 months after the handover, we made the line ready for test drives. With this line, fast, economical, and safe transportation is provided between the city center and Çam and Sakura City Hospital, while integration with other public transportation modes is also ensured. This line, which is 6.2 kilometers long and consists of 5 stations including Kayaşehir, Housing Estates, Çam and Sakura City Hospital, Onurkent, and Metrokent, enables integration with the Bağcılar-Kirazlı-Başakşehir-Olympic Village line at the Metrokent Station and with the Halkalı-Istanbul Airport metro line at the Kayaşehir Station. Thus, access to the airport by metro is provided for the region.”
Uraloğlu stated that with this line, citizens can travel in 20 minutes on the Kayaşehir-Mahmutbey route, 29 minutes on the Metrokent-Freedom Square (Bakırköy) route, 24 minutes on the Metrokent-Istanbul Airport route, and 23 minutes on the Çam and Sakura City Hospital-Bakırköy (Kirazlı) route.
“There is much work to be done” Uraloğlu indicated that they aim to serve the citizens living in Istanbul, stating:
“Since its opening by our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on April 8, 2023, the Başakşehir-Çam and Sakura City Hospital-Kayaşehir metro line has carried 5 million 200 thousand passengers to date. With our projects, we provide safe and comfortable travel opportunities for our citizens while they go to work and travel through the traffic chaos in Istanbul. We have signed very important projects in Istanbul. But is it enough? Absolutely not… We have a lot of work to do for transportation in Istanbul. We are conducting rail system project studies in 14 provinces in Turkey. We have implemented 415.5 kilometers of urban rail system projects nationwide. While construction works continue on 88.8 kilometers of lines, we plan to build an additional 372.2 kilometers of rail systems overall.
source: aa.com.tr/ prepared by Melisa Beğiç