Response to Tram Project in Izmit

Reaction to the Tramway Project in Izmit: Those struggling to keep the trees on the tram project route in Izmit said that they do not want the tram that will destroy the green areas.
While the trees on the tram route are being removed on Mustafa Kemal Street in Yahya Kaptan Mahallesi, a group of residents of the neighborhood continue their actions. Approximately 50 people gathered in front of Süleyman Demirel Cultural Center said, 'We do not want a tram that kills trees. While they opened a banner saying "We defend our living spaces", they carried signs saying 'Don't touch our tree', 'For tramway shopping malls?', 'We protect our neighborhood' Atilla Yüceak, one of the residents of the neighborhood, said, “The people of Yahya Kaptan, one of the most respected neighborhoods of the city, will not oppose any investment that has a service understanding. But we will object if our children's playgrounds, parking lots, green areas and trees are cut down and usurped by an erroneous route that will increase traffic terror. They do these in order to punish them and to bring people to the newly built shopping malls and to obtain profits. Infrastructures are insufficient, and now they are punishing the locals by passing the tram on a wrong route. They have to change this faulty project, ”he said.
Saying that they are protecting the trees, Nedret Kır, one of the residents of the neighborhood, said, “We do not oppose the tram. They cannot walk their way through our gardens without asking anyone. In Yahya Kaptan, they will pillage all living spaces. "We protect the trees we planted, protect the front of our door, we do not need a tram," he said.
On the other hand, Kocaeli Chamber of Environmental Engineers Chairman Mehtap Öztürk said that they are against projects that are not suitable for the benefit of the public and environmental health and said, “When the first project was announced in the tram process, many chambers non-governmental organizations prepared projects. It was submitted to the municipality, but was ignored. We are against such projects if they are not suitable for the benefit of the public and environmental health. We would like to consult city planners, architects and engineers for these projects. We would like to do joint projects together, ”he said.
The action ended after the announcement.