Details of the Project were Shared at Mersin Metro Promotion Meeting

Mersin Metropolitan Mayor Vahap Seçer shared the details of the project with the public at the "Mersin Rail System Information Meeting". President Seçer stated that a tender method with both construction and financing will be tried for the first time in Mersin and said, “We will hit the first digging in 2020”. Expressing that they will give this job to very respected companies, President Seçer said, “We will add value to Mersin with this project. Currently, not only in Turkey, Mersin world is talking, "he said. President Seçer said that at least 50 percent of the tender price will remain in the Mersin market, "8 thousand people, directly or indirectly, will have the opportunity to benefit from it."

Intensive participation in Mersin Metro Introductory Meeting

Mersin Metropolitan Municipality was put out to tender for the first phase of the rail system project on 27 December 2019. President Vahap Seçer and consultant company officials shared the details of the project, which has been eagerly awaited by the public since then.

Speaking at the introductory meeting attended by district mayors, professional chambers and non-governmental organizations, as well as many journalists, Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Vahap Seçer said, “Today is an important day for us and for Mersin. When you look at investments, we are having a historical day. We are holding the information meeting of not only Mersin but also the most important and valuable project of our region. ”

A delayed project for Mersin

Stating that the rail system is an old transportation model in the world and that there is no reputable, metropolis, brand city and a city without a rail system in the world, President Seçer stated that Istanbul met the metro 32 years ago, Konya, Eskişehir, Gaziantep, which is the precedent of Mersin, He noted that rail systems were recently installed in the provinces. President Seçer continued as follows:

“We consider it a delayed project. Mersin is a city with significant historical and cultural accumulation and very important economic potential. Look, this accumulation will explode one day. We have very important savings. Industry, agriculture, tourism, logistics, incredible potential. We have seen the first time kentiyiz again very paradoxical way we look at Turkey's poverty map. Our horizons should be clear. We need to project the next 50 years. What you call the subway today is not a project that disappears tomorrow. We are talking about the 18th century, 200 years ago. It still remains valid today. It is still up to date in Berlin, Moscow, Paris, London because it adds value to the city. ”

“Population growth shows that the project is necessary”

Stating that the Mersin population has been growing rapidly and Syrians have been added to this increase, Mayor Seçer said, “In 2015, there was a population of 1 million 710 thousand. It became 2019 million 1 thousand in 814. But after 2013, there is an unintentional increase of 20 percent. There are about 350 thousand Syrian guests. Our city population could not get a Treasury guarantee for a while. Because the population of the city center did not reach the desired criteria. But today, a quarter of our population is a population of immigrants, guests and refugees living here. So this rail system is not an unnecessary investment. These increases reveal that these years of work are not unfounded, even excessive population growth makes the job accurate and eliminates worries. For this reason, we will continue to do these works very confidently. ”

East-West line shortened, North-South line added, cost the same

Reminding that the metro project undertaken in the previous period predicted a line of 18.7 kilometers between Mezitli-Free Zone, President Seçer noted that with the touches they made on the project, they reduced the line to 13.5 kilometers. Seçer said, “There are some concerns. 'The approved project and the bidding project are different.' But it is not. The total cost is important there. The total cost is falling, there is no problem in it. In the old project, the line started from Soli, we are starting in front of the old Mezitli Municipality building. The old project was ending in the Free Zone, and we shortened it. It will end at the old bus station. There will be a city hall, ”he said.

Stating that they will integrate a 13.5-kilometer East-West line and also a light rail line to City Hospital and a tram line to Mersin University, President Seçer said, “So all this is equal to the cost of the 18.7 km underground rail system we found on our lap. . It goes up to 30.1 km. Mixed system but the cost is the same. Therefore, since our cost has not changed in our investment program, the investment we will make in the first place has no legal problems ”.

The rail system will also revive the market

President Seçer pointed out that the rail system will touch the places where human movements such as Mezitli, university, university hospital, Marina, Forum Mersin and Çamlıbel are intense and said, “Çamlıbel shopkeepers wear our doors rightly. The bazaar is over, Mersin is over. Mersin has no center. Very important. This is not just a transportation project for him. Social and cultural project. Özgür Çocuk Park has a station there. Train Station has a station there. We got together with Çamlıbel. If a brother from Mezitli and my mother wants to come to Çamlıbel and do shopping, it will arrive in 10 minutes, but now it cannot. Even if it is a private vehicle, it is a cult, and if it gets on one of the public transportation vehicles, it is a cult for it. An immaculate, fast, comfortable, reliable public transport can come very easily by metro. We include Çamlıbel in this integration. ”

50% of the tender price will remain in Mersin

Stating that they were bidding on 27 December 2019 for the rail system, President Seçer said:

“This construction will provide us with great mobility. Only in the first phase, there are 4 thousand direct jobs. In addition, the most direct 4 thousand people benefit. Since the tender is in progress, we cannot say the total tender price, but 50 percent of the total tender price will remain in the city. Personnel salary, wages provided, sub-industry, materials required in this construction will be purchased from Mersin. These are huge numbers. 3,5 years construction period. There is an additional option of 6 months. Economic liveliness will be in question in this process. 8 thousand people, directly or indirectly, will have the opportunity to benefit from it. ”

Tender demand is high

Select Pre-qualification tender will be held on February 27, the President reminded, Turkey has in the last 18 months on this scale, and drew attention to a tender made in this legal basis. Seçer said, “For this reason, it is extremely important. Currently this market not only in Turkey, Mersin speaking world. Who hasn't come in the last few months? Turkey's most respected institutions, the most senior executives, has proved its mettle companies, domestic and foreign banks. Many financial institutions and construction companies, from the Spanish, the Luxembourgers, the Chinese, the Germans, the French, visit our region. They are interested in this issue. We are both first-time and finance on this scale in Turkey until today we realize a project with a construction tender together. There is a great demand. Do not 'certain conditions in Turkey, there is a contraction in the market. Don't say 'the president is in a dream world. No it is not. There are a lot of money in the world, very serious money. They are looking for safe ports to go. There is a great demand for this project. I am very ambitious. We will give this work to the latest technology, very valuable and very respected companies under very favorable conditions. We will hit the first pickaxe in 2020 without any doubt. I see this very clearly, without any doubt, and I sincerely believe in the project. I am behind the project and hold on tightly and am also claiming. We will do this on time. It will add a lot to Mersin. Beyond just the comfortable journey of a passenger, we will add much value to Mersin. This is our pursuit. ”

My guess is that 15 ambitious companies will fight fiercely in this tender.

President Seçer thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for the project being included in the 2019 investment program. Stating that they will attempt to give the project a Treasury guarantee from the central government, President Seçer said, “This brings; reveals faster and more affordable access to finance. On the other hand, it's not the end of the world. We did not set the Treasury guarantee condition in our tender. We did not say that we will guarantee the treasury, under the current conditions, more than 40 companies have now downloaded this file from EKAP. My guess is that 15 ambitious companies will fight fiercely in this tender. This project concerns all Mersin, all of us, all actors. It is a project that everyone should embrace, from valuable managers, presidents, chamber presidents, NGO representatives, political party representatives to bureaucracy, Mersin residents and valuable press members. This project is obvious. We do not take it with the logic of 'we have done it'. If there are mistakes or omissions, it is up to us to correct them. We seek to find the perfect, to do the truth, not to please someone. We want to please Mersin, the people of Mersin and add value to Mersin. ”

You will find that your worries are unfounded

At the introductory meeting of the project, Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Rail Systems Branch Manager Salih Yılmaz and the representatives of the consultancy firm that prepared the project gave information about the technical details of the project. At the meeting, representatives of non-governmental organizations, journalists and opinion leaders also had the opportunity to ask questions about the project and get answers to their questions.

Mayor Seçer, who came to the podium again after the questions were answered by the technical staff, said, “There are concerns. I agree. That's why we needed to go into detail. Since we came to the management, we had our thirtieth meeting about the subway. We do nothing cursory. Not afraid. We can achieve this. Concerns may be justified, but you will find that it is out of place. Hopefully we will come together as actors of the city in many meetings. ”

How Many Passengers Will the Mersin Rail System Carry?

• The first phase line of Mersin rail system will follow the direction of Mezitli Marina Tulumba Station.
• In 2030, the number of daily public transport passengers will be around 1 million 200 thousand people. The target is to carry 70 percent of this with a rail system.
• The number of daily passengers at Mezitli Station (West) is expected to be 206 thousand 341. The number of passengers at the peak hour is estimated at 29 thousand 69.
• 62 thousand 263 of this will be passengers on the University-Train route, 161 thousand 557 will be passengers on the University-Hal route.
• The number of daily passengers on the Gar Huzurkent route will be 67 thousand 63 people, and the number of daily passengers between the Gar and OSB will be 92 thousand 32 people.
• The number of passengers per day will be 81 thousand 121 between Gar-Otogar-Şehir Hospital and 80 thousand 284 among Gar-City Hospital-Otogar.
• There will be 7930 meters of cut-and-cover and 4880 meters of single tube tunnel on the Mezitli Station line.
• There will be a parking lot of 6 vehicles at 1800 stations and bicycle and motorcycle parking areas at all stations.

What are the Technical Specifications of the Mersin Rail System?

• Line length between Mezitli Station: 13.40 km
• Number of Stations: 11
• Cross scissors: 5
• Emergency line: 11
• Tunnel type: Single tube (9.20 meters inner diameter) and open-close section
• Maximum operating speed: 80 km / h Operating speed: 42 km / h
• One way travel time: 23 minutes
• The length of the light rail line between Eski Otogar-Şehir Hastanesi and Bus Station: 8 thousand 891 meters
• Number of Stations: 6
• Tram line between Fair Center and Mersin University: 7 thousand 247 meters
• Number of Stations: 10

Map of Mersin Metro