Channel Pressed for Istanbul

7 years, Turkey's Channel snake returned to the story of a crazy project in Istanbul on the agenda Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process was started again. The project, which was suspended in December and steam in 24 hours, did not change the itinerary in the last described position to the public again. 45 km long canal passes through Küçükçekmece, Avcılar, Arnavutköy and Başakşehir districts.

The Kanal Istanbul project, announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2011 as a "crazy project", has come to an end. The EIA application file of the Kanal Istanbul project, which was sent to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization in December by the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications, was quickly downloaded from the hanger before 24 hours later. While the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization stated that the issue was related to the Ministry of Transport, officials of the Ministry of Transport said, “They put something wrong that they should not put, they took it back. Our work is continuing ”. On the day the project was suspended, deputy provincial directors, branch managers and assistant directors were dismissed from the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Environment and Urbanization.

PROJECT PRICE NOT EXPLAATED

The EIA application file that caused the crisis was presented to the public again today. The EIA Application File sent by the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications on February 20 has been suspended by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. It was observed that there was no change in terms of the route, capacity and content of the project in the file that was suspended again with the downloaded file. The most important difference was related to the project cost. In the first file, the project cost was announced as 60 billion liras, and in the last file, the project price was declared to be reported to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization in accordance with Article 10 of the EIA Regulation.

Between KÜÇÜKÇEKMECE and TERKOS

According to the information in the file, the route of the highly anticipated Kanal Istanbul project was chosen among 5 alternatives. As a result of the studies, an alternative corridor was determined starting from the narrow point separating the Marmara Sea from Küçükçekmece Lake, continuing along the Sazlıdere Dam basin, passing Sazlıbosna Village, reaching the east of Dursunköy and passing Baklalı Village, east of Terkos Lake, reaching the Black Sea. The project will be located within the boundaries of Avcılar, Küçükçekmece, Başakşehir and Arnavutköy districts. Approximately 7 thousand meters of the canal route will pass through Küçükçekmece, 3 thousand 100 meters through Avcılar, 6 thousand 500 meters through Başakşehir and 28 thousand 564 meters through Arnavutköy. 6 bridges and road crossings are also planned on the channel corridor.

2 PORT 3 TOOL ADA

Using appropriate materials from the channel excavation, it is planned to create a total of 2 island groups, 1 on the left and 3 on the right, towards the Black Sea in the Marmara Sea. The islands will be on the shores of Büyükçekmece, Beylikdüzü and Bakırköy districts facing the Marmara Sea, from west to east, respectively. "one. Group Marmara Islands ”will consist of 1 islands with a total area of ​​3 hectares. "186nd. Group Marmara Islands ”From 2 islands of 155 hectares,“ 4. The Group will consist of 3 islands of 104 hectares in the Marmara Islands. The Black Sea Port to be built within the scope of the project will be located on the coastline of Arnavutköy and Eyüp districts to the Black Sea. Marmara Port will be located at the starting point of the channel corridor at the entrance of Küçükçekmece district. Within the scope of the project, 3 yacht ports with a total capacity of 1200 yachts will be built in Küçükçekmece, with 860 boats and 2 boats in Sazlıdere.

CONSTRUCTION 5 YEARS

The 45 km long Küçükçekmece Lake - Sazlıdere Dam - the corridor following the east of Terkos, whose engineering studies are ongoing, is expected to serve 5 years provided that the construction works are completed within 100 years and the necessary maintenance is done.

CANCELLATION OF SAZLIDERE DAM

On and around the corridor in question, there are generally agricultural lands, partially forest areas and settlements and water bodies. The main part of the Sazlıdere Dam, which provides water for 24-25 days, will be canceled due to the canal project. The historical Damascus Dam, which makes up 60 percent of the dam, will be preserved in its current form or by being upgraded.

Passing through gentle regions

There are environmentally sensitive points on the route of Kanal Istanbul. Channel; RAMSAR Convention established in Turkey within the scope of International Importance 135 Terkos located between Lake Kucukcekmece Lake Wetlands and Wetlands also going through the Wetlands. The project intersects with the Roman Waterway and Terkos Waterway. It includes the Canal, Filiboz, Küçükçekmece and Yarimburgaz Cave 1st Degree protected areas. On the route, it passes through 14 thousand 175 hectares of agricultural land, 384 hectares of shrubs, 145 hectares of pasture, 468 hectares of forest.

SUMMER PROPERTIES

The project affected population was calculated as a total of 480 thousand 758 persons. The corridor will directly affect the Küçükçekmece Altınşehir and Şahintepe neighborhoods. It is planned to nationalize the area of ​​45 square in Kucukcekmece-Sazlidere-Durusu line, which is approximately 23 km long. Although there are no settlements in the lands between the corridor, Baklalı, Tayakadın and Terkos, some households and summer houses will be expropriated within this scope.

ALLEGED WARNING IN THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

CHP Parliament Member Nadir Ataman stated that Kanal Istanbul was carried out at the insistence of the President despite all bureaucratic and scientific objections, “This project, which many people from bureaucracy and politics objected to due to its financial, legal and environmental effects, It gained momentum with the liquidation of those who made these objections. It is among the information that the Minister of Transport announced the route after this warning in the Council of Ministers last January. It is stated that the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization will approve the plans and EIA report within 15 days, and the tender in April, and the foundation is tried to be laid in June. It is said that the President considers the project as his biggest trump card in the 2019 elections, ”he said.

Source: Özlem GÜVEMLİ - Sözcü