Turkish PM unveils huge projects for Diyarbakir, Izmir

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday made public his new projects for commercial hub of Istanbul, Aegean province of Izmir, and southeastern province of Diyarbakir.

Before Erdogan's arrival, an unknown assailant threw a "percussion bomb" at a police control point in Diyarbakir at the rally area, security officials said. They said the device caused panic but no damage.

Police drafted in reinforcements to boost security before Erdogan's rally in Diyarbakir, at the heart of a region witness to a 27-year separatist conflict in which more than 40,000 people have been killed.

Police confiscated 37 petrol bombs, commonly used by youths in protests.

Also the chairman of the ruling Justice & Development (AK) Party, Erdogan enumerated his projects for Diyarbakir as city wall renovation project and Diyarbakir Airport project.

"We will re-build 500 civilian constructions within city walls in line with its original shape and structure," Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul.

Erdogan said his party was planning to construct 1,271 new dwellings in Diyarbakir within the scope of city wall renovation project.

The prime minister said his party was willing to separate civilian and military airports from each other, and construct a new and modern civilian airport in Diyarbakir.

"We aim to employ hundreds of thousands of people with these projects we will launch after June 12th general elections, and these projects will revive trade, industry, exports and tourism," he said.

Izmir was another province where AK Party was planning to implement new projects after the general elections.

Prime Minister Erdogan listed new projects for Izmir as Gulf transition (IZKARAY), Konak tunnel, Izmir-Ankara and Izmir-Bursa-Istanbul high speed trains, Sabuncebeli tunnel that will connect Izmir and another Aegean province, Manisa, Izmir-Istanbul and Izmir-Ankara motorways, and four intercity subway lines.

"Under IZKARAY project, we will connect two sides of the Izmir Gulf with a 4.5-km bridge and 1.5-km immersed tube tunnel," he said.

Erdogan said AK Party was planning to relieve downtown traffic in Izmir with a tunnel it would construct in Konak neighborhood.

The prime minister said his party would construct 583-km double line Ankara-Afyonkarahisar-Usak-Manisa-Izmir high-speed train project in two stages.

"After this line is constructed, one can travel between Izmir and Ankara by train in three and a half hours," he said.

Erdogan said the Izmir-Bandirma high-speed train would be connected to Osmaneli-Bursa high-speed train line in Karacabey town, and thus, Izmir would directly be linked to
Istanbul.

Turkey's prime minister said the North Aegean Port (Candarli Port) would become one of the top ten biggest ports in the world, and AK Party would build a cruiser port in Izmir.

Erdogan said the first stage of the cruiser port project would be completed in 2015 and the third stage in 2023.

"The port can host 3.8 million passengers a year after it becomes operational," he said.

Erdogan said after the Ankara-Izmir motorway was completed, one can travel by car between the two cities in five hours, and it would only take 3-4.5 hours between Istanbul and Bursa after the Izmir-Istanbul motorway was constructed.

Referring to projects regarding Istanbul, Erdogan said his party was planning to build a tunnel at the Taksim Square to relieve traffic and allocate the entire square to pedestrians.

Erdogan said the AK Party would rebuild Taksim Artillery Barracks, and turn Yassiada and Sivriada into international congress centers.

In total, Erdogan made public three projects for Istanbul, 13 for Izmir and six for Diyarbakir.

Below are projects regarding Istanbul:

1- Two hospitals in the European and Anatolian sides of the city
2- Taksim Square Project
3- Princes' Islands Project

Below are projects for Izmir:

1- Gulf Transition Project (IZKARAY)
2- Konak Tunnel
3- Izmir-Ankara, Izmir-Bursa-Istanbul high speed trains
4- Sabuncubeli Tunnel
5- Izmir-Istanbul, Izmir-Ankara motorways
6- Subway lines
7- Ongoing Egeray (Izban project)
8- City renovation project
9- North Aegean (Candarli) port (construction has begun)
10- Cruiser port (to be built)
11- Izmir port (to be modernized)
12- Ephesus Ancient Port (to be reconstructed)
13- Nine new marinas (to be constructed)

Projects for Diyarbakir:

1- City walls renovation project
2- Airport
3- Dicle Valley Project
4- Diyarbakir-Sanliurfa Motorway
5- Silvan Dam
6- Two new hospitals, one in Kayapinar and the other in Yenisehir
7- A stadium for 30,000 people

/Hurriyet Daily News/