• Publish Date
  13.07.2020
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Construction Works on M8 Bostanci-Dudullu Metro Line Started Again

Construction works on M8 Bostanci-Dudullu Metro Line started again after it was halted in March 2019. Ninth of the 10 metro vehicles that were manufactured for this line is put on the tracks with the participation of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Construction works on M8 Bostanci-Dudullu Metro Line started on February 26th, 2016, by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), but the project came to a halt in March 2019. Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Ekrem Imamoglu, who took office in June 23rd in 2019 elections, put the halted metro line works of the previous administration into first place among his actions.

The search for financial resources has yielded results...
Focusing on finding financial resources in this context, Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu restarted the works on M8 Bostanci-Dudullu Metro Line when financial resources were obtained. A ceremony titled as “M8 Bostanci-Dudullu Metro Line Construction Works Begin Again” took place at Kayisdagi Station of the relevant line. IMM Secretary General Can Akin Caglar, Deputy Secretary General Orhan Demir, Advisor and Spokesperson to the Mayor Murat Ongun, Head of Rail Systems Department Pelin Alpkokin, Deputy General Manager for Metro Istanbul Operations Hakan Orhun, Deputy General Manager for Projects Fatih Gultekin and Anatolian Region Operations Manager Aziz Demirors accompanied Mayor Imamoglu at the ceremony.

"If the system had been planned well, the line would have already been commissioned..."
Reminding that they underline the importance they attach to rail systems during the election process, Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said:
“As soon as we took office, we started our studies to make a determination of the process related to rail systems and how we can take measures quickly and how we can act. One of the most important issues here was the issue of obtaining financial resources. With our intense contacts, we mobilised the constructions by providing certain resources on relevant projects that were halted for more than two years. As a result, construction works started again on six lines. Of course, we continue our work to finish them in the fastest possible way. Activating the tendered lines before their processes are completed or matured means loss of time and an increase in the cost. If the system was planned well in the beginning and the process was operated well, we would be on a metro line that was already completed and commissioned. I wish we had seen that the foundation of 8 lines was laid, the project was completed, the financing problem was solved, and the tender was put out when we arrived then the processes could have been completed without a loss for our institution or our country or the companies in terms of the end date. "

“Our state and our nation are the owner of such works...”
Stating that halting the construction of metro construction will not make anyone happy, Mayor Imamoglu said, “I express it everywhere: Our state and our nation are the owners of such works. Therefore, we all lost our money here. These projects do not belong to a party or a person of a time or a mayor. It belongs to the community. We tackle the process with these feelings. I convey my gratitude to everyone who has contributed. ” Underlining that the delays caused serious losses for the residents of Istanbul, Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said, “these projects would have succeeded if all these plans were carried out simultaneously when they were first awarded during the past management period. We have not been able to stick to the opening dates on 9 metro lines unfortunately. Let the targets hold; things were halted for years and we suffered huge costs in this sense. Let me give you an example: This line, which we are struggling to restart right now, would have been commissioned exactly 15 months ago, in March-April of the previous year. Believe us when we say we would be very happy and very proud and it would make us happy if our people benefited from it with pleasure. ”

“Community needs to be informed”
Speaking about the need of informing the community, Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu also mentioned that they started construction works of the other lines that their works were halted and gave the following information:
“For example, F4 Rumeli Hisarustu-Asiyan Funicular Line would have been commissioned exactly 13 months ago. However, as of last month, we have started the process of starting the construction site that has been standing idle for almost 1.5 years. The lines where we started the halted construction sites are M12 Goztepe-Atasehir-Umraniye Line, M5 Cekmekoy-Sancaktepe-Sultanbeyli extension, M13 Sarigazi – Tasdelen-Yenidogan Line, M1B Kirazli-Halkali extension, M4 Kaynarca – Pendik-Tuzla extension. These relevant lines would have been completely finished, commissioned and providing services 4 months ago. We would have been very happy, but it did not happen. Let me express something more painful: If M7 Mahmutbey-Bahcesehir-Esenyurt extension Line would be commissioned next month; we would have had a normal planning. However, it has been tendered but it has no project now. In other words, we have taken over such a line that we have never started or we have not taken over the tender. There is nothing in the moment right now. ”

“If the lines were commissioned on time, it would have reached 2.8 million people…”
Expressing that if the lines under construction are commissioned at the scheduled time, 2.8 million people will be transported and said that they could not provide this service because the right job was not done with the right financing model and the right management approach.

"There is a cost increase of nearly %100..."
Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu emphasised that there was a cost increase of nearly %100 due to the economic losses and the failure of these lines, some of which were to be commissioned last year and some of them to be commissioned this year. The total cost of 9 rail systems is over 17.3 billion if we take the increase in the exchange rate and the delay of these relevant projects an extra 8.7 billion liras cost is a burden for Istanbulites the national economy. In other words, an extra 9 billion TL will be raised from our budget. We talk about our own money. This is the real economy. ”

“They cut the money of Basaksehir-Kayasehir Metro from us in advance…”
Stating that M3 Basaksehir-Kayasehir Metro Line has a process problem related to credit financing, they demand government support to overcome this, but they received a negative response. Mayor Imamoglu said, “We will do this." Well, do it, but how will you do it? You will make your money in advance by cutting it out of our payments. In other words, this has nothing to do with public morals and public law. In this way, the construction of M3 Basaksehir-Kayasehir Metro Line was supposedly transferred to it. Nevertheless, let the people of Istanbul know that the cash in advance is cut from us. ”

“Our works continue at 10 different points”
Emphasising that M8 Bostanci-Dudullu Line is an important line they value, Mayor Imamoglu underlined that the line has many delayed problems. Reminding that the project was halted twice, Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said: “These processes caused a delay of almost 2.5 years in total. There is a plus VAT cost of 558 million euro. When we look back at the feasibility figures, when we calculate the socio-economic loss in the cost of our metro, we continue to manage the process with a loss of nearly 2.5 billion liras. Before this period, which started in February 2016 but halted for different reasons and reached today, there were areas with threats that were serious, especially on M8 Bostanci-Dudullu Metro Line. We have carried out some technical studies in this sense.”

“%65 is completed…”
Mayor Imamoglu stated that they will start working on the line consisting of 13 stations with a length of 14.3 kilometres, by determining a road map on financing on 17 June 2020 and stated that they will put 9th of the 10 metro vehicles onto the tracks. Expressing that %65 of the construction has been completed, Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said, “Our works continue at exactly 10 different points. The number of people working on the project has reached 500 from the day we started it quickly. Our friends foresee that this will reach 800 people after the Eid al-Adha. Our desire is to operate this line in full swing at the end of 2021. We manage an intense programming and work for this. ” Stating that 90 thousand passengers will be transported in both directions on this metro line that will serve Maltepe, Kadikoy, Atasehir, Umraniye districts, Mayor Imamoglu said that they think that the line will be an active line because it passes through the areas where the dwellings and the industrial sites are dense.

“We have a very reputable staff…”
Sharing the information that M8 Bostanci-Dudullu Metro Line will be integrated with three rail system lines along with sea transportation, Mayor Imamoglu underlined that Istanbul is a city with a high reputation and said, “We have a very reputable staff from A to Z. Here, the desire of the contractor companies makes me happy. With this holistic work, I hope that we will commission this line for the service of the residents of Istanbul by the end of next year. I convey my gratitude to all my friends who have already contributed and those who will contribute in the future.” After Mayor Imamoglu’ s speech, the 9th of 10 metro vehicles manufactured for M8 Bostanci-Dudullu Line brought to the warehouse area and put on tracks on a live broadcast.
 

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