📩 27/09/2023 10:07
The 167th anniversary of the establishment of the railways was celebrated with a ceremony held at Ankara YHT Station. Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, who attended the ceremony, emphasized that the railways have achieved the change required by the age with their employees and have achieved a dynamic structure. TCDD General Manager Hasan Pezük said that, as a railway family of 26 thousand people, they are working with the aim of providing better service and contributing to the development of the country. While the piano recital presented by pianist Tuluyhan Uğurlu was greatly appreciated, the "Railways 100 Years Old Photography Exhibition on the 167th Anniversary of our Republic" brought together the 167-year development of the railways with the citizens.
Speaking at the 167th anniversary ceremony of the railways, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said that the railways carry the history of the nation's joys, pains, separations and reunions since the first rail was laid on the Izmir-Aydın Line in 1856. Expressing that the railways have entered a period of stagnation since the 1950s, Uraloğlu emphasized that transportation policies have become state policy again with the instructions of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Uraloğlu stated that they have invested approximately 20 billion liras in railways in the last 880 years, overhauling and renewing all of the lines, and said, “We have made major investments, improvement, renewal and development moves. Thus, our railways threw away the dead soil on them. We built the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway Line, which constitutes the most important link of the 'One Road, One Belt Initiative', which aims to revitalize the historical Silk Road. With this project, we have created the safest, shortest and most economical international railway corridor from London to Beijing with MARMARAY, which makes uninterrupted railway transportation between the Asian and European continents possible.” he said.
Drawing attention to the number of passengers carried on railways, Uraloğlu said, “We have carried approximately 2009 million passengers with high-speed trains since 77,5. "We predict that we will break a historical record by carrying 2023 million passengers with our high-speed trains in 12,5," he said.
“ONE BELT ONE ROAD PROJECT” IS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY
Uraloğlu stated that they see the "One Belt One Road Project" as a very important opportunity for Turkey, which is the starting point of Europe, in terms of connecting Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and that this project will become the "New Silk Road" of the Central Corridor. He said that they have implemented projects that will complete the missing transportation connections on the east-west and north-south axis. Pointing out that MARMARAY's Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway Line provides uninterrupted railway transportation between continents as the golden ring of the Middle Corridor, Uraloğlu said that approximately 1 million 500 thousand tons have been transferred from the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway Line to date. He informed that the load was transported. Minister Uraloğlu continued as follows: “With this line, from Turkey to the west; to many points in Europe, especially Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Poland, Romania, Czechia, Slovakia, Serbia and France, and in the east; Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, in the north; to Russia, in Central Asia; We operate freight trains to and from Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and China. While MARMARAY and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway Line via the Central Corridor Line make the world smaller, our country has become the center country in transit railway transportation.”
Emphasizing that they have further strengthened the transportation network and freight transportation sector with new destinations in the railways, Uraloğlu stated that they aim to reach 1 million tons in the first place, while the transportation between Turkey and Iran is increasing day by day. Uraloğlu also touched upon the Zangezur Corridor and said: “This is an important project that concerns not only Nakhchivan's transportation with Azerbaijan, but also all Turkish states with its young and dynamic population of 160 million and economic size exceeding 1 trillion dollars. The implementation of the Zangezur Corridor connection, which will provide direct rail and road transportation between Turkey and Azerbaijan, will actually connect the entire Turkish world. It is also of vital importance for normalization, especially in the Caucasus. After yesterday's meetings, we accelerated our work to complete this line as soon as possible. We signed the Kars-Nakhchivan Railway Project.”
Emphasizing that the Zangezur Corridor will provide new opportunities for the development of economic cooperation in the South Caucasus in the coming period, Uraloğlu said that with the corridor becoming operational, the railway and road freight carrying capacity of the Central Corridor will increase, which means that the east-west corridor extending from Beijing to London will increase. He said that it would make a positive contribution to the increase in trade.
Stating that the railways have caught the change required by the age with their employees and have achieved a dynamic structure, Uraloğlu said, “On this occasion, I would like to thank all the iron passengers who devoted their lives to the railways in the service race and who transferred the deep-rooted service tradition to the present day, and I remember those who passed away. "I wholeheartedly congratulate the 167th anniversary of the founding of the railways, and I believe that this year's celebration events will be held with great enthusiasm, befitting the 100th anniversary of our Republic." he said.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE AIM OF CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY
TCDD General Manager Hasan Pezük reminded that, as Railways, they transport thousands of passengers and hundreds of thousands of tons of cargo to their destinations with great devotion in a very wide hinterland. This people-oriented service we offer; Hasan Pezük said that the necessity of every second of 365 days and 24 hours, summer and winter, to be done with great care and attention increases our responsibility even more and continued his speech as follows: "As a railway family of 26 thousand people, we are committed to providing better and better service to our nation and contributing to the development of our country." We serve shoulder to shoulder with the aim of making a contribution. We know that our duties and responsibilities will increase even more as our service area expands with the commissioning of the high-speed and rapid railway lines under construction. With this awareness of responsibility, we carry out our work by making the necessary plans together with our colleagues in order to achieve the targets set in passenger and freight transportation. Railways is one of the most strategic institutions of our country, with a deep-rooted history of 167 years. Our primary goal is to become a leading brand in its region under competitive conditions by combining the experiences of our institution from its 167-year-long history with the information and communication technologies required by the age. "In order to achieve this goal and move it further, we have to work shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart with our colleagues, taking into account the centuries-old knowledge, experience and culture, and keeping the railway profession's unique spirit of sacrifice and solidarity alive."
Thanking President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for the special importance and support he gives to the railways, TCDD General Manager Hasan Pezük said, "The image of "RAILRAILWAY" in the hearts of our nation is actually our greatest honor, the most meaningful and greatest reward given to us, and our invaluable heritage. Railwaymen are self-sacrificing, hardworking and patriotic. For us, railway management always means much more than railways. With medical wagons all over our country; with health and library wagons; with culture and theater wagons; Our ancient organization that brings art has achieved many firsts. Sports clubs established within the railways have contributed greatly to the infrastructure of Turkish sports. Our culture and art centers contributed to our citizens' professional learning and became the meeting place of our state and nation, and the choir and folk dance teams established by the railwaymen were also watched with admiration. During the Kahramanmaraş earthquake, the disaster of the last century, our trains became a warm home for our homeless citizens; "Railroad workers have mobilized to collect aid to the region and deliver the collected aid." he said.
Stating that they experienced the excitement of the 167th anniversary of the establishment of our railways and the 100th anniversary of our Republic, Hasan Pezük said, “We present the change and development in the railways to our citizens with our “Railways 100 Years Old Photography Exhibition on the 167th Anniversary of our Republic”, which we opened today. We, the railwaymen, who prioritize the love of our country above all else, complete all our preparations in order to contribute more to the Turkish Century and continue our work without slowing down in line with the targets you have set. With these feelings and thoughts, I celebrate the 167th anniversary of the establishment of our railways, and I remember with gratitude and gratitude all those who contributed to our railways and who are not alive today, may their souls rest in peace.” he said.
Following the protocol speeches, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu and TCDD General Manager Hasan Pezük cut the opening ribbon of the "Railways 100 Years Old Photography Exhibition on the 167th Anniversary of our Republic" together with the protocol members. The piano recital of pianist and composer Tuluyhan Uğurlu received great applause from the guests.