Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated that the works to strengthen Istanbul's transportation infrastructure continue without slowing down and announced that they will bring a new line to the city with the Kazım Karabekir-Topağacı-Ümraniye Sports Village Rail System line. Minister Uraloğlu emphasized that with this new line, the rail system network in Istanbul will expand and the length of the line under construction will reach 26,5 kilometers, 188 kilometers in total. He also reported that the main line tunnel excavations on the Altunizade-Çamlıca Mosque-Bosna Boulevard Metro Line are almost complete and the work is progressing rapidly.
The Importance of Metropolitan Cities and the Role of Rail Systems
Minister Uraloğlu stated that big cities are the heart of civilizations, where millions of people live together and are the center of economic and social life. Stating that the dynamic structure of these cities is completed with the fluidity of the connection people establish with each other and the city, Uraloğlu emphasized that urban rail systems are the lifeblood of modern cities. He said that rail systems provide fast, safe and comfortable transportation, save time for citizens by reducing traffic load and make daily life easier. He also stated that rail systems offer an environmentally friendly solution, reduce carbon footprint and make cities more livable with energy efficiency. He stated that new lines and stations revitalize neighborhoods in the city economically and socially and strengthen interregional connections.
The Ministry's Rail System Projects and Their Contributions to Istanbul
Uraloğlu stated that as the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, they have implemented important urban rail system projects especially for citizens living in big cities, and said that the length of urban rail system lines completed and put into service throughout Turkey has reached approximately 434 kilometers. He also announced that construction work continues on a total of 6 kilometers of lines in 91,8 projects.
Uraloğlu, who stated that Marmaray has been used by approximately 1 billion 330 million passengers since its opening, said that other lines that have been put into service have also attracted great interest. He explained that 19 million passengers traveled on the Gayrettepe-Istanbul Airport-Arnavutköy line, 14,2 million passengers traveled on the Bakırköy-Bahçelievler-Kirazlı Metro and 4 million 653 thousand passengers traveled on the Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme line.
Stating that they are working day and night to make Istanbul one of the cities with the most developed transportation infrastructure in Europe and the world, Uraloğlu emphasized that the biggest key to relieving Istanbul's traffic is rail transportation projects. He said that they have opened approximately 162 kilometers of rail system lines throughout Istanbul to date, but the work is continuing.
New Line: Kazım Karabekir-Topağacı-Ümraniye Sports Village Rail System Line
Uraloğlu, who announced that the Ministry has undertaken a new project that will extend the Altunizade-Çamlıca Mosque-Bosna Boulevard Metro Line to Ümraniye Sports Village, stated that they will provide a new line of 4,5 kilometers by putting the Yavuztürk, Kazım Karabekir, Topağacı and Ümraniye Sports Village stations into service starting from Bosna Boulevard with the Kazım Karabekir-Topağacı-Ümraniye Sports Village Rail System line. He said that with this line, the length of the line under construction will reach 26,5 kilometers and the total length of lines constructed throughout Istanbul will reach 188 kilometers.
He stated that with the new project, uninterrupted metro transportation from Altunizade to Ümraniye Sports Village will be provided, making life easier for Istanbulites, and the transportation network in the region will be further strengthened by providing integration with Üsküdar-Çekmeköy Metro and Metrobüs. Uraloğlu stated that the Altunizade-Çamlıca Mosque-Bosna Boulevard Metro Line, which starts at the Altunizade junction, is 4,53 kilometers long, connecting the Üsküdar-Ümraniye-Çekmeköy Metro and Metrobüs lines to Çamlıca Mosque and Bosna Boulevard.
Works on the Altunizade-Çamlıca Mosque-Bosna Boulevard Metro Line
Uraloğlu, who stated that the line, consisting of 4 stations including Altunizade, Ferah Neighborhood, Çamlıca Mosque and Bosna Boulevard, will serve the Büyük Çamlıca Mosque Complex located on Çamlıca Hill, the Islamic Civilizations Museum and the densely populated Ferah Neighborhood, said that these areas receive intense visits for touristic and religious purposes and that it is of great importance for the line to be completed as soon as possible. For this reason, he stated that the construction work is continuing on a 7/24 basis.
Uraloğlu stated that as of today, approximately 99 percent of the main line tunnel excavations have been completed and that only 71 meters of main line tunnel excavation remains. He said that concrete coating manufacturing continues and electromechanical project work has been largely completed.
Istanbul's Metro Line Needs and Future Vision
Uraloğlu, who stated that it is not possible to solve Istanbul's transportation problem from the surface, said that considering the city's population and economic activity, investments in underground transportation networks have become inevitable. He explained that calculations show that Istanbul needs 4 kilometers of subway lines and that there are currently 362 kilometers of lines. He stated that when the ministry's ongoing projects are completed, the length of Istanbul's rail system will increase to approximately 388,5 kilometers, but that another 600 kilometers of subway lines need to be built.
Emphasizing that rail systems are indispensable in a city like Istanbul, where a historical and cultural treasure meets the requirements of the modern age, Uraloğlu said that the metros built, especially Marmaray, added a new page to the story of this ancient city. Stating that rail systems build not only today but also tomorrow, Uraloğlu said that as the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, they stand by Istanbul and Istanbulites and will work until they establish a fast, safe and comfortable transportation network that meets the needs of Istanbulites. He stated that they will build a contemporary and livable city that will preserve Istanbul's historical heritage and carry it into the future. Because he emphasized that the size of a city is measured not only by its borders, but also by the ease with which its people can reach each other.
