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1/15/2018

Infrastructure Investments General Directorate (AYGM), Canal Istanbul Project

Transportation Minister Arslan: “The 45 km Küçükçekmece-Sazlıdere-Durusu corridor has been determined as the routing of Canal Istanbul Project.”

Transportation, Maritime Affairs and Communication Minister Ahmet Arslan disclosed the latest developments in Canal Istanbul Project which is being attributed utmost importance by President of the Republic Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minşister Binali Yıldırım and which will be the largest project of Istanbul, the new metropolitan city in the world.

Minister Arslan disclosed the routing of the project on which studies were initiated as of August 2017 on 5 alternative routings as “The 45 km Küçükçekmece-Sazlıdere-Durusu corridor has been determined as the routing of Canal Istanbul Project”.

Minister Arslan organizing a press conference and reminding that earthquake risk analyses have been made for alternative routings, environmental conditions have been considered and mining and historical sites, underground and surface water resources have been determined, said that the routing has been determined as Küçükçekmece-Sazlıdere-Durusu line, in other words a 45 km course in line with data obtained upon all these studies.

“We aim to finalize the tender process within the year with the BOT and a combined PPP model and lay the foundation”

Minister Arslan made the following disclosure on the routing:

“D-20 highway up north which is already in service upon completion of 14 km starting from where the 3^rd Airport is located, and works on increasing the number of lanes to 3 in each direction up to Çatalca will be completed in August. We are giving a connection to TEM from Kınalı on the European side besides the 125 km which we have completed, and connecting to Akyazı on the Anatolian Side. The line will follow the high speed train line passing from Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge. There will be the D100 Highway routing on the southernmost part. We aim to pass 3 crossings on Marmara side from under Küçükçekmece Lake by means of a sunken tunnel as was the case for Marmaray. Crossings necessitating viaducts will not be on the agenda as we will be crossing over slits from Canal Istanbul.

A routing has been constituted considering all possible interaction on the Thracian side of our country and all interactive results in relation with urban transformation as a result of all these studies. Works will now be performed over Küçükçekmece-Sazlıdere-Durusu line. We aim to finalize the tender process within the year with the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) and a combined Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model and lay the foundation. The cross-section of the canal will gain clarity. We will also realize urban transformation in the surrounding area also considering water transportation by means of the simplest and cleanest option Canal Istanbul. A financial figure in such a large project may mislead you and ourselves before works are over. But it will be the largest project in Turkey ever.”