Türkiye's ambitious Marmaray Project, which will link the European and Asian sides of Istanbul through a continuous commuter rail corridor, is progressing on schedule, according to Ahmet Arslan, director general of the Department of Railway, Ports and Airports at the Ministry of Transportation.
The project will modernize roughly 77 kilometers of suburban rail between Halkali in the west and Gebze in the east, with 14 kilometers of that route running through tubes and tunnels beneath the Istanbul Strait. Eleven tubes will be sunk in total; the first two are to be lowered into place in autumn 2006, with all tube installations finished by end of 2007.
Funding draws on several international sources, including a loan agreement with the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation covering about 35 percent of the strait-crossing costs, plus loans of 650 million euros and 400 million euros from the European Investment Bank for subsequent project stages, with the Council of Europe Development Bank covering the remainder.
Archeological excavations near Sirkeci, Uskudar, and Yenikapi pushed estimated dig costs from 2 million dollars to roughly 10 million dollars, though Arslan said the work reflects a commitment to preserving Istanbul's historical heritage. He cited Istanbul's designation as European Cultural Capital in 2010 as added motivation to meet the 2009 deadline.
Once complete, the system is expected to cut commute times, ease urban congestion, connect the city's two rail networks, and reduce vehicle exhaust emissions across Istanbul.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in June 2006, in its own words.