Members of Çukurova Community Centers took action in front of Adana train station for the resumption of TCDD Adana-Tarsus-Mersin passenger transport services, which have not been working for a long time due to the pandemic. People's Houses Çukurova Region President Osman Erkut invited the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure to work.
In the action, where the police intervened due to pandemic conditions, Adana People's House President Osman Erkut read the press statement on behalf of the group.
The following was mentioned in the press release: “Regional train services to Adana, Tarsus and Mersin have not been operated for about eleven months. TCDD announced on its official website on 27 May 2020 that regional train services have been stopped since 28 March with the following sentences. "High-speed mainline and regional train services will not be operated temporarily as of March 28, 2020, due to the restriction of intercity travels within the scope of combating the coronavirus epidemic."
On May 4, 2020, intercity entry and exit restrictions were gradually lifted, and high-speed train services were opened in the following process. Later, TCDD did not make any explanation except for the statement, "Within the scope of combating the coronavirus epidemic, only all regional train services were temporarily suspended."
While intercity buses, planes, high-speed trains, city buses, minibuses, metrobus, subways are open by trying to take COVID-19 precautions, why are Adana-Tarsus-Mersin flights not opened by taking precautions in the same way?
On the Adana-Tarsus-Mersin line, workers and those who are forced to work under pandemic conditions are condemned to travel for a high fee in small vehicles that do not open windows, ignoring economic difficulties and public health. During the pandemic period, when male violence is on the rise and the streets are more unsafe for women, especially in the hours close to the curfew, the lack of alternatives in transportation vehicles creates a separate security threat for women, and prevents women from being able to exist in public spaces.
The price of these journeys between Adana Tarsus Mersin and 19-person TOK-KOÇ vehicles takes approximately 1.30, 2 hours and is 20 TL. We are forced to travel at exorbitant prices in these minibuses, where both the physical distance cannot be applied and the ventilation cannot be done well.
Dear friends, the political power has ignored and ignored the poor people in the field of transportation as in every field during this epidemic process.
There is no logical reason for stopping the train services that are the only intercity public transport transportation. Because the only means of transportation that can be inspected really comprehensively are trains. Considering the number of wagons, the number of seats, the number of trips and the coronavirus measures, it raises many questions.
The fact that TCDD is shown as a loss-making public institution among the Council of State reports brings to mind the question of whether another privatization is opened. We also ask as a question that a government, which has marketed public services for 19 years, whose record is high with privatizations, and who has kept the tax debts of the companies in difficulty by zeroing them, can answer from where they "work". We will now share the questions written in the petition we have submitted and we would like to state that we will share the answers to these questions with the public in the same way.
- When will train services Adana-Tarsus-Mersin, Mersin-Tarsus-Adana start to serve?
- Does your directorate have any scientific preparations to serve the Adana-Tarsus-Mersin, Mersin-Tarsus-Adana train services with the public health in mind and taking the necessary covid-19 measures?
- Is TCDD intercity passenger transport section special?
- Is there any privatization agenda in TCDD?
We appeal to those who endanger the public health even more with their policies that are not for the benefit of the public under epidemic conditions, and to those who ignore this problem experienced by the people: The people have the right to cheap, healthy and qualified transportation, it cannot be prevented. TCDD, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure must do its duty immediately! As People's Houses, our demands are clear. We want the train services in our region to be started immediately in accordance with the pandemic conditions and by taking public health measures! "
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