Türkiye will go to the polls on March 31 to elect mayors in 81 provinces. But all eyes can be on Istanbul, the nation’s most populated and fabled metropolis. Former Environment, Urban Planning and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum will compete towards incumbent Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu of the primary opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) candidate Kurum goals to finish Imamoğlu’s tenure that began in 2019 and restore the long-running reign of the town to the AK Party, which is credited with reworking Istanbul over the previous twenty years with late Mayor Kadir Topbaş.
Kurum’s election marketing campaign is summed up as “Siztem Istanbul,” a wordplay on the Turkish phrase for “system” that embraces “siz” (“you” in Turkish). “Siz” can be used as a suffix in Turkish and means “less or free” and this use figures prominently in Kurum’s imaginative and prescient, from “risk-less” Istanbul to “traffic-free” Istanbul.
Kurum met with editors-in-chief of distinguished newspapers, news web sites and representatives of broadcasters, together with Daily Sabah Editor-In-Chief Ibrahim Altay, on Thursday to clarify his initiatives. He stated that they are going to prioritize residents “who will not be ‘listeners’ of what the mayor has to say but rather, stakeholders of Istanbul, a part of management.” The candidate criticized his rival who turned to a PR marketing campaign reasonably than “real services” and promised to switch this mindset.
“People are weary of chaos in Istanbul but we also see people are hopeful for (a change),” he stated. Kurum stated he heeded the issues and complaints of each citizen.
Ending visitors woes
Traffic congestion is among the main points within the metropolis of greater than 15 million individuals. Easing visitors is just not a straightforward activity however assuaging the snarls requires a mixture of options, primarily, increasing the mass transportation community of the town straddling between Europe and Asia. Kurum’s marketing campaign guarantees to double rail programs stretching throughout the town in 5 years and lengthen their complete size to 1,004 kilometers (625 miles) in a decade.
New metro strains and extensions of the present ones will cowl two sides of the town. These embody a metro line between the Incirli-Gayrettepe route on the European aspect to Söğütlüçeşme on the Asian aspect, which can stretch for 28 kilometers. Another metro line will take commuters from the Sefaköy-Avcılar path to Beylikdüzü-Tüyap and may have a size of 18 kilometers. A 14.2-kilometer metro line can be constructed between Yenikapı and Sefaköy. Shorter routes, together with a 6-kilometer line between Sabiha Gökçen Airport and the Kurtköy district and one other 5.4-kilometer line between Sultanbeyli and Kurtköy can even be constructed.
Two massive tunnels whose complete size can be 122.2 kilometers can even be constructed on all sides of the town to ease the visitors. On the European aspect, a 88.2-kilometer tunnel can be constructed whereas one other at a size of 34 kilometers can be constructed on the Asian aspect.
Kurum’s marketing campaign guarantees the development of tunnels whose complete size can be 47.5 kilometers inside 5 years, together with a tunnel between Çayırbaşı and Dolmabahçe, one other between Kağıthane and Bayrampaşa and a tunnel between Yenisahra and Bostancı. They will respectively minimize journey instances by 15 and 10 minutes every and can considerably minimize carbon emissions. By 2034, Kurum guarantees to finish the development of tunnels comprising 74.7 kilometers in complete.
Another undertaking entails the development of 20 multilevel junctions and 151 junctions crisscrossing the town’s congested areas.
The fundamental bus stations in Esenler and Harem on the European and Asian sides, respectively, can even be relocated in a bid to alleviate visitors jams, and 6 new logistics hubs can be constructed within the metropolis.
The speedy bus transit line generally known as “Metrobus” can be stretched towards the far-flung district of Silivri on Istanbul’s European aspect. Currently, the route ends in Beylikdüzü and with the prolonged line, journey time between Silivri and Beylikdüzü can be minimize by 18 minutes. The municipality can even purchase 100 new Metrobuses and 250 new buses yearly to accommodate the rising variety of commuters.
Apart from journey, discovering a parking area is a headache for Istanbulites. Kurum pledges a 25% low cost on parking tons operated by the municipality and constructing parking tons that may accommodate a complete of 250,000 autos, throughout the subsequent 5 years.
The maritime transportation community can even be doubled. Three new maritime strains can be launched.
Bicycle lanes within the metropolis can even be expanded and can attain 1,500 kilometers inside a decade.
Risk-free Istanbul
Kurum depends on his expertise in post-disaster reconstruction as he has overseen the rebuilding of cities after floods and earthquakes prior to now. Experts typically warn that Istanbul will possible expertise a significant earthquake within the coming years as it’s situated close to main fault strains. Kurum’s marketing campaign guarantees the elimination of all buildings liable to harm and the development of 650,000 housing items as an alternative of outdated buildings that can’t endure disasters. The undertaking, a part of a nationwide city transformation marketing campaign, will see half of the bills within the renewal or reconstruction of buildings lined by the municipality. The municipality will present TL 700,000 ($22,870) in grant kind and one other TL 700,000 for a mortgage per home, in addition to TL 100,000 monetary help for lease and transferring bills for homeowners whose homes can be rebuilt elsewhere. Some 250,000 homes can be “transformed on site.”
The municipality can even assemble 100,000 social housing items that can be accomplished in 18 months and can be rented to the town’s residents in 39 districts.
An bold undertaking for city transformation will contain the development of buildings with fewer flooring and bigger social and inexperienced areas.
An built-in catastrophe administration system can be launched. It will embody evaluation, knowledge analytics, a digital “twin” mannequin of the town for higher catastrophe response, a danger monitoring system, early warning programs and employment of synthetic intelligence for catastrophe administration. A catastrophe administration heart can be established and non permanent dwelling areas as a measure for post-disaster lodging can be arrange in all districts. They will accommodate some 2 million individuals. Istanbul may have seven catastrophe logistics facilities as an alternative of 1 for speedy response to disasters. Nine “disaster intervention centers” can be established. On two sides of the town, two new emergency hospitals can be constructed.
Along with hospitals, the municipality will construct eight new facilities for individuals accompanying in-patients at hospitals on each side of Istanbul that can provide free lodging.
Standing with individuals
Kurum’s initiatives provide one thing for everybody, from girls and youngsters to the youth and the aged alike.
Every neighborhood may have kindergartens open across the clock, whereas dad and mom with kids as much as the age of 6 can be supplied free passes for mass transportation.
TL 100,000 grants can be delivered to 100,000 feminine entrepreneurs to encourage girls’s employment. Kurum additionally guarantees “fair” billing for water use primarily based on the scale of every family.
For kids, Kurum’s marketing campaign presents college meal help, free mass transportation for major college college students, and safety and hygiene help to varsities.
For youth, a 40% low cost can be supplied in mass transportation. Other reductions can even be obtainable in municipality-run social and sports activities services. University college students will obtain monetary help for intercity journey. Kurum additionally presents free restricted pure fuel for homes the place college students keep. For potential {couples}, the municipality will ship TL 50,000 grants after their marriage ceremony. Young entrepreneurs can even be granted TL 100,000 for his or her first startups.
Teachers can even be supplied low cost journey on mass transportation.
The municipality will present shared workplace areas for 100,000 individuals. Social help initiatives and part-time employment choices will permit Istanbulites to earn a minimum of TL 200 each day. University college students can be entitled to schooling help value TL 10,000.
Pensioners can be granted TL 2,500 month-to-month. The municipality can even set up three main facilities for the care of the aged and disabled individuals. A well being monitoring system can be arrange for Istanbul residents above the age of 75, whereas the municipality will present meals and cleansing companies free of charge for the aged.
A rehabilitation heart for addicts, and 10 new dwelling facilities for individuals with disabilities can even be established. Kurum additionally pledged extra employment for individuals with disabilities.
Istanbulites can be supplied job coaching free of charge.
Water administration
The metropolis confronted an alarming drought final 12 months and up to date precipitation alleviated its issues. But the town nonetheless wants what Kurum’s marketing campaign calls sustainable water administration.
Kurum promised to fully remove the water problem and pledged to extend the town’s water storage capability by 21%. Six new dams for consuming water can be constructed, whereas outdated water provide strains can be renovated and a 700-kilometer water provide line can be constructed.
Nine new superior organic wastewater therapy services can be constructed, and wastewater contamination of the Marmara Sea can be prevented.
A cleaner, greener metropolis
Kurum, who oversaw a nationwide “zero waste” recycling program, additionally pledges a climate-friendly metropolis. Every district may have a recycling heart and the municipality will spend money on renewable vitality sources. By 2040, Istanbul may have net-zero emissions.
The candidate additionally guarantees to extend the scale of inexperienced areas per particular person, from 7.80 sq. meters to 11.80 sq. meters.
Every district of the town may have a “public garden,” massive parks which are being in-built different cities as properly.
An “Istanbul Botanical Garden,” double the scale of the entire space of London’s Hyde Park and New York City’s Central Park, can be constructed. The fundamental intercity bus station in Esenler can be transformed into a big park.
Preserving the legacy
The marketing campaign guarantees each to safeguard the traditional websites of Istanbul, identified for historic landmarks courting again to Ottoman and pre-Ottoman instances and to offer a facelift to iconic websites.
A brand new pedestrianized space in Eminönü, close to the Spice Bazaar, can be renovated, together with different historic websites, from Fatih Mosque to Ordu Street and Çemberlitaş Square close to the Grand Bazaar and Sultanahmet Square, house of Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque.
City of tradition, arts, tourism
Istanbul is already a hub of tradition and humanities and attracts numerous vacationers yearly. Kurum guarantees to construct on the town’s fame on this space. His plans embody new worldwide festivals and schooling help for younger artists each in Türkiye and for his or her coaching overseas. A good and congress heart can be opened on the Asian aspect.
A cultural planning scheme can be within the works for the town and Kurum guarantees to extend the town’s tourism potential.
Safer streets
Stray canine are a significant problem and sometimes make headlines for assaults on individuals. Istanbul is house to some 300,000 stray canine, whereas animal shelters have a capability of solely 17,000 animals. Animal hospitals are additionally not enough, whereas the municipality’s sterilization of stray animals is inadequate, in line with Kurum’s marketing campaign.
Kurum pledged to ascertain animal shelters in all 39 districts of the town. Two main shelters with a capability of fifty,000 animals can be constructed on each side of the town.
‘Digital’ Istanbul
The municipality will set up an Information Technology and Management Center of BYTE Istanbul and can broaden e-governance companies.
The municipality’s hotline can be upgraded to a digital service the place Istanbulites can convey their issues concerning the town’s points or could make recommendations. A digital service will facilitate discovering parking areas for drivers.
The municipality can even introduce a brand new app for straightforward entry for commuters to all technique of mass transportation.
City of sports activities
The marketing campaign pledges to make Istanbul the host of the 2036 Olympics. The municipality will full the development of Olympic services inside 5 years.
Kurum additionally guarantees help for beginner sports activities golf equipment within the metropolis, which is already house to main golf equipment like Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş.
The municipality can even host Istanbul Cup occasions in all fields of sports activities.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
