TCDD Suspends Gemlik Train Project 

Binali Yıldırım announced as the Minister of Transport of the period during the groundbreaking ceremony of the high speed train project in Balat on 23 December 2012:
. We decided to link the high-speed train to Gemlik. We will start the project at 2013. Proje
This line…
Although it was initially understood as the continuation of the high-speed train, it was the freight train line.
After that…
There were criticisms because the route determined was through fertile agricultural lands, even the muhtars of the 7 villages on the route went to Ankara and filed an appeal, and suggested a new route.
However…
The project tender was completed and the expropriations were completed. Even during the dismantling of fruit trees in the expropriated lands, there were even discussions.
The project ...
From the high-speed train line that will come from Bilecik Osmaneli to Bursa, with the arm leaving the station in Balat; As the freight train line, the port would be reached via Dereçavuş-Gündoğdu and after Kurşunlu, and the port would be reached by the Free Zone.
Thus…
Industrial areas in both Bursa and Central Anatolia would be connected to the port by rail. A forward train line was planned from Balat to Bandırma port.
Even…
An important step was taken in 2017 and the 24-mileage Gemlik freight train line 680 was included in the annual program 3 for a million pounds.
So what…
The economic hardship that started with the sudden increase in foreign exchange last year affected the Bursa high-speed train project, and the work on the Bursa-Yenişehir line disrupted. Even if the tender was done in the Yenişehir-Osmaneli line, the construction site could not even be established, the works never started.
Here…
While this uncertainty continued, news of a new situation assessment came from TCDD.
According to those who reach our ears, TCDD wants to complete the high-speed train project and want to concentrate here in the coming period.
When priority was given to the high-speed train, the project was suspended on the grounds that "Gemlik freight train is not applicable in today's conditions". (Ahmet Emin Yılmaz - Event)