Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that Başkentray, which is one of the most important parts of the urban transportation of the capital Ankara, built by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and opened on April 12, 2018, has served 6 million passengers in 89 years. Uraloğlu noted that with the Başkentray project, 60 thousand passengers were served per day by providing suburban operation at metro standards and said, “We have worked tirelessly for Ankara in the last 22 years. "We extended Ankara's 23,1 kilometer rail system line by 80,5 kilometers and increased it to 103,6 kilometers," he said.
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu made a statement on the anniversary of Başkentray, which is described as the backbone of transportation, which greatly relieves traffic in Ankara's urban transportation. Underlining that, as the Ministry, they have made works worthy of the Capital Ankara, Uraloğlu said, “On the anniversary of the commissioning of Başkentray, the people of the capital continue to use it with great interest since April 12, 2018, when it was put into service. As the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, we have made great strides in every mode of transportation all over Turkey. Over the last 22 years, we have continued to work for Ankara without stopping. “We invested 601 billion 510 million liras in transportation and communication infrastructure.” said.
“We Increased Ankara's Rail System Line to 103,6 Kilometers”
Stating that they are trying to produce works worthy of world capitals with the vision of the Turkey Century for Ankara, Uraloğlu underlined that the traffic on Eskişehir and Istanbul Road has decreased significantly with the Başkentray, which was modernized and put into service in 2018. Uraloğlu stated that they have implemented many metro lines that provide great convenience for the people of Ankara in transportation, and said, “We have put into service the Kızılay - Çayyolu, Batıkent - Sincan-Törekent and Tandoğan - Keçiören metro lines, which the people of Ankara have been waiting for years. Last year, we opened the Atatürk Cultural Center-Station-Kızılay Metro, which provides direct metro transportation from Keçiören to Kızılay. "By extending Ankara's 23,1 kilometer rail system line by 80,5 kilometers, we increased the rail system line length in Ankara to 103,6 kilometers," he said.
“We Are Building Rail Systems So That Urban Transportation Does Not Turn into a Nightmare”
Emphasizing that Turkey has made a breakthrough in transportation and communication infrastructure with the investments and development moves made in the last 22 years, Uraloğlu said that great progress has been made in railways with the vision of the Turkey Century under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan since 2002. Underlining that they have implemented very large urban rail system projects, Uraloğlu said, "As the Ministry, we carry out rail system projects for our citizens so that urban transportation does not turn into a nightmare without getting stuck in traffic in metropolitan cities." said. Reminding that only since the beginning of this year, the ministry has put into service the Kağıthane-Gayrettepe section, the last link of the Gayrettepe-Istanbul Airport Metro Line, the Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme Rail system line and the Bakırköy Sahil- Bahçelievler-Güngören-Bağcılar Kirazlı Metro Lines, and said, “Only in Istanbul We do not work in Ankara; Batıkent-Sincan, Kızılay-Çayyolu, Keçiören-Atatürk Cultural Center Metros and BAŞKENTRAY are in Kayseri; Anafartalar-YHT Station Tram in Antalya; We implemented the Expo Airport Tram Line and İZBAN by working together with the Metropolitan Municipality in Izmir. In Gaziantep, we, as the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, implemented GAZİRAY by working together with the Metropolitan Municipality. "We have completed the 416 kilometer urban rail system project across Türkiye and put it at the service of our citizens," he said.
“All Existing Railway Lines Have Been Completely Renewed”
Underlining that serious investments have been made in railways in Turkey in the last 22 years and that they have changed the face of Turkey with their improvement, renewal and development moves, Uraloğlu said that all existing railway lines have been completely renewed and the line length of 10 thousand 948 kilometers has increased to 13 thousand 919 kilometers. Underlining that 2 thousand 251 kilometers of high-speed train line was built, Uraloğlu emphasized that they increased the length of our signaled line from 2 thousand 505 kilometers to 8 thousand 46 kilometers and the length of our electrified line from 2 thousand 122 kilometers to 7 thousand 142 kilometers.
“60 Thousand Passengers Use Başkentray a Day”
Explaining that Başkentray has served 12 million people since its opening on April 2018, 89, Minister Uraloğlu said that with the Başkentray Project, the existing line was completely renewed and its standard was raised and it started to provide transportation at metro standard. Stating that the existing railway lines were completely renewed within the scope of the Başkentray Project, Uraloğlu emphasized that the line in question was built in accordance with high-speed train, suburban and conventional train operations. Underlining that metro standard suburban service has started to be provided between Başkentray and Kayaş-Sincan, Uraloğlu said that within the scope of the project, the distance between Ankara-Marşandiz has been increased from 4 lines to 6 lines, the distance between Marşandiz-Sincan has been increased from 3 lines to 5 lines, and the distance between Ankara-Kayaş has been increased from 2 lines to 4 lines. Emphasizing that 24 suburban stations were rebuilt to metro standards, Uraloğlu said, “We completed the Eryaman YHT Station within the scope of this project and started to provide YHT and suburban services in Eryaman. In a short period of 6 years, we have carried 89 Million passengers at Başkentray. Our citizens from Ankara loved the comfort of Başkentray. "Exactly 60 thousand passengers use Başkentray every day," he said.