KOS met with Kağıthane Municipality and demanded to put an end to decovil and construction pressure on Northern Forests

KOS met with the Municipality of Kağıthane and asked for an end to the decow and construction pressure on the North Forests: A meeting was held upon the invitation of the Kağıthane Mayor's Defense of the North Forests to discuss the Belgrade Decovil Line project. The meeting was attended by the Mayor of Kağıthane Fazlı Kılıç, deputy mayors, related department managers and four representatives from KOS and a representative from IMM. The meeting, which KOS once again conveyed its objections to projects aimed at breaking down the integrity of the Belgrade Forest and opening new areas of reconstruction, lasted for nearly two hours.

During the meeting, representatives of the Northern Forests Defense reiterated the demand for the cancellation of the “Dekovil Line” railway project, which will divide the last part of the Belgrade Forest's natural integrity that must be preserved and kill thousands of trees. Belgrad Forest, where all Istanbulites can easily reach and breathe right now, should be protected in every way.

It was stated that there is no way to negotiate on the Belgrade Forest and the Northern Forest ecosystem, which is surrounded by mega projects on the one hand, and that there should be no public transportation systems in and around the Belgrade Forest; it was stated that the next stops of the settlements and road movements surrounding the forests will inevitably be forests.

The meeting also underlined that the Cendere valley, the only fresh air corridor in which Kağıthane breathes, was occupied by the construction companies and drowned in the concrete, and that the Dekovil train line was intended to turn into a rent-haven paradise up to Kemerburgaz. On this basis, it was stated that the construction plow should be terminated between Kağıthane and Kemerburgaz and the Cendere valley should be declared as part of the Northern Forests and abandoned.