Today, Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated a metro line connecting the Kagithane area to Istanbul International Airport. In a speech he delivered on the occasion, Erdogan said that the length of the aforementioned metro line is 34 kilometers, and that passengers will reach the airport via it in 24 minutes. He added that the capacity of the Kagithane-Istanbul Airport metro line reaches 800,000 people per day. He added, "The new line consists of 8 stations, and as we promised our citizens, we completed this line within a record period of time with the capabilities and expertise of Turkish engineers." The Turkish president indicated that the railway network in Istanbul will exceed 380 kilometers, when the ongoing projects are completed. He stated that Istanbul Airport ranks first among the best airports in the world and the busiest in Europe, and was established without spending a single penny from the state treasury. Erdogan stressed that Turkey has proven its success and superiority in establishing metro and railway lines. The Turkish president indicated that the Ministry of Transport is currently working on establishing other metro lines linking Istanbul Airport with several areas in Istanbul. Erdogan stated that the new metro, which opened today, will provide free transportation service to Istanbul residents for a full month.
On the other hand, Erdogan reaffirmed that his government is very determined to manage the Istanbul Canal project, which aims to build an industrial canal to connect the Sea of Marmara with the Black Sea.
He said, "God willing, we will open a new breathing tube for our city and relieve the burdens of the Bosphorus Strait with our Istanbul Canal project. We will increase the brand value of Istanbul. Sooner or later, we are determined to complete this project whose infrastructure we have already built."
With Canal Istanbul, the government aims to open an artificial sea lane between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara to ease the movement of oil tankers through the Bosphorus Strait, one of the busiest sea lanes in the world.
The 45-kilometre canal west of the city center is proposed to be built on the European side of the city with a capacity of 160 ships per day.
27-02-2025 
