Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Adil Karaismailoglu stated that they will bring two more rail system lines to Istanbul, named Altunizade-Camlica and Kazlicesme-Sirkeci lines.
Karaismailoglu, who participated in the ceremony for the start of excavation of 2 new tunnel boring machines (TBM) on the Halkali-Istanbul Airport Metro Line, said in his speech here that the giant projects implemented one after another in Istanbul prepare the city and the country for a bright future.
Karaismailoglu explained that they have put an end to the traffic ordeal of the people of Istanbul with modern rail system lines in Istanbul and also contributed to the reduction of environmental problems by clearing the city from noise and air pollution, and today they start the excavation of the tunnel in the Olimpiyatkoy-Halkali section of the Istanbul Airport-Halkali metro line.
He noted that they plan to reach Halkali station at the end of the year by advancing a total of 11 thousand 800 meters in the excavations, and gave the following information:
“This 31.5-kilometer line, starting with the Marmaray Halkali station, where we made 55% progress, includes Marmaray, Halkali, Olimpiyatkoy, Kayasehir, Fenertepe, Avnavutkoy-2, Arnavutkoy-1 and Istanbul Airport stations.
Our Halkali-Airport line will be connected to the Marmaray suburban line from Halkali station, Kayasehir-Kirazli-Otogar-Yenikapi metro at Olimpiyatkoy and Kayasehir stations, and from the Airport to the Istanbul Airport-Gayrettepe line.”
Karaismailoglu stated that they aim to reduce the transportation time between Istanbul Airport and the central locations of the city to less than 30 minutes, emphasizing that they have designed the line and vehicles to reach a speed of 120 kilometers per hour and that they aim to build the fastest metro in the country.
“146 KILOMETERS OF RAIL SYSTEM LINE WILL SURROUND ISTANBUL”
Minister noted that with the completion of these lines, metro connections will be provided from Kagithane and Kemerburgaz to Arnavutkoy, Basaksehir and Kucukcekmece, and added saying, “Thus, on the continuation of the Marmaray line from Gebze to Halkali, a total of 146 kilometers of rail system line that surrounds Istanbul with Halkali-Istanbul Airport and Istanbul Airport-Gayrettepe lines will be completed.”
Karaismailoglu, who stated that there is an 80-kilometer line that they have already completed in Istanbul and offered to the public, continued his words as follows:
“The 6 lines that we continue to build in Istanbul will be put into service in a short time. The total length of the Pendik-Tavsantepe-Sabiha Gokcen Airport metro line, Bakirkoy Coast-Kirazli, Basaksehir-Kayasehir, Gayrettepe-Istanbul Airport, Halkali-Istanbul Airport metro lines, which are currently under construction, is 91 kilometers and their work continues at a great speed.
Of course, our rail system projects in the megacity will not be limited to these. We are also in the planning phase of the 4.5-kilometer Altunizade-Ferah District-Camlica Rail System Project and the 8.4-kilometer Kazlicesme-Sirkeci Urban Transportation and Recreation Transformation Project. We are bringing two more 12.9 kilometers of rail system lines to Istanbul.”
Minister emphasized that Istanbul’s rail system network is now 251 kilometers, when the ongoing projects are completed, the number will increase to 342 kilometers, and that 50% of 342 kilometers will be done by the ministry.
“METRO LINES WILL BE FINISH AT THE END OF 2022”
Karaismailoglu, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, stated that Istanbul is a strategic world city that needs to be acted upon with the mind and will of the state, and where they have to design their future with the highest quality and permanent projects, and made the following statements:
“All the work we do is part of a long-term strategic transportation master plan, in which 2053 and 2071 are planned. Kanal Istanbul is also an important part of this plan. For this reason, Istanbul residents should be very happy. We will continue to serve Istanbul and Istanbul residents at all times and conditions. On the Halkali-Istanbul Airport fast metro line, we are speeding up our subway, which was dug with 3 thousand employees and 6 TBMs. 2 more TBMs are participating in the excavations of our line. We are starting the excavation work of 2 tunnel boring machines at the Kayasehir-Olimpiyatkoy station at the same time.”
Minister added that they aim to complete the Istanbul Airport-Gayrettepe metro line at the end of 2021 and the Istanbul Airport-Halkali line at the end of 2022.
KARAISMAILOGLU STARTED THE OPERATION OF NEW TBMs
Karaismailoglu, after his speech, operated 2 new tunneling machines by pressing the button.
Karaismailoglu then examined the works on site and received information from the authorities, took photos with the employees.
Source: NTV / Translated by Irem Yildiz