Murat Kurum, the Istanbul candidate of the People's Alliance, who started his work from the first day his candidacy was announced, presenting the projects he has prepared to address the problems of Istanbul at the Haliç Congress Center.
Kurum stated the following during his speech: "Today, in this hall; to the Istanbul enthusiasts who strengthen us with their existence; to those who embrace us like a child, like a sibling on every street of Istanbul from Tuzla to Silivri; to all our brothers and sisters who support us, saying 'Istanbul is Ours'; I extend my deepest love, respect, and affection."
"Today, together, we will discuss the next 100 years that will shape Istanbul, the significant steps of 2034 and 2053. We will talk about solutions, not problems. We will talk about dedication, not indifference. We will talk about hope, not despair. Today, together, we will say it's Istanbul's time. We will embark on a blessed journey solely for Istanbul, solely for the future of Istanbul. Today, we are united. With our artists, with our athletes, with our disabled brothers and sisters, with our youth, we are all together. Today, everyone in this hall, we joined our hands for Istanbul. With excitement and enthusiasm, we came together for the Turkey Century Istanbul Vision."
"This is Istanbul. Istanbul is not just a city among cities, nor a place among places. It is such a city that there is no equal to it in the world. A city that brings together two seas, two continents, climates, and civilizations. Istanbul is a school that connects goodness, truth, peace, and all virtues with the world from Üsküdar to Eminönü. For 571 years, it has been a virtuous city that has spread truth, courage, and justice into verses. This beautiful city is the love and passion of our people. According to us, managing this city means surrendering to the spirit of Istanbul with your mind, heart, and entire being; it means dedicating yourself to every street and every home. Here we are, with our friends and organization, together; we are a dedicated team to Istanbul, we are the alliance formed by the people in the squares. Our starting point is the municipal service that Istanbulites truly deserve, the real municipal service, the AK Party Municipal Service, under the leadership of our President."
"AK Party Municipal Service, which emerged as a star 30 years ago, shone for the first time in Istanbul. Just like the star that shone in the sky when Fatih conquered Istanbul. Unfortunately, this shining progress that began in Istanbul in 1994 entered an unfortunate period of hiatus in 2019. With a part-time municipal approach, Istanbul turned into a tangle of problems. Currently, a great chaos and confusion prevail among the people of this city in Istanbul. And this chaos has completely enveloped the city today. But Istanbul is not helpless. We present to you, the people of Istanbul, a brand new management approach that evaluates all the problems of our beautiful city with a holistic perspective, focusing on the human element."
"The management approach that will once again make Istanbul shine is called Siztem Istanbul. At the center of Siztem Istanbul, there is only you. I have always seen this in all the responsibilities I have undertaken: while the city transforms the people, the people also transform the city. Unfortunately, Istanbul has lost this beautiful harmony in the last 5 years. Here, we will explain our solutions that will restore balance to this city through the four dimensions of Siztem Istanbul: In every project without exception, we will offer the people of Istanbul a trouble-free, carefree social life. We will adopt an administrative approach without excuses, without arrogance, without excuses. We will present uninterrupted time for Istanbul with our systematic solutions. And together with our entire team, we will work for a unique and unparalleled Istanbul once again. Dear Istanbulites, we promise you an Istanbul that doesn't trouble you but leads you to success."
"For public transportation; the average travel time will be reduced from 64 minutes to 39 minutes."
"The length of the rail system will double in the first 5 years and reach 1004 kilometers by the year 2034."
"The road share, which is currently at 72%, will decrease to 60% by 2029 and further decrease to 48% by 2034."
"First and foremost;
- The 14.2 km Yenikapı-İncirli-Sefaköy metro line,
- The 18.0 km Sefaköy-Avcılar-Beylikdüzü-TÜYAP metro line,
- The 28.0 km İncirli-Gayrettepe-Söğütlüçeşme metro line,
- The 5.4 km Sultanbeyli-Kurtköy metro line will be completed."
''When the 1004 km target is achieved with the Sabiha Gökçen-Kurtköy lines, daily:
- 21.75 million vehicle-kilometers,
- 1.94 million vehicle hours,
- 1.691 million emissions,
- 10.26 million TL fuel savings will be achieved.''
''The average travel time will be reduced from 64 minutes to 39 minutes. The average traffic congestion will decrease from 64% to 40%.''
"Road transportation will be eased with giant tunnel projects. In the first 5 years, a 25.7 km Çayırbaşı - Ayazağa - Levazım - Dolmabahçe tunnel and an 11.6 km Kağıthane - Bayrampaşa Hal tunnel will be opened on the European side. The Sarıyer-Çayırbaşı Tunnel, extending from the existing one, will be completed as the Sarıyer-Kilyos tunnel. This will provide uninterrupted transportation between Kilyos and Dolmabahçe. Easy access to the North Marmara Highway and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge will also be ensured. On the Anatolian side, a 10.2 km tunnel will connect Yenisahra to Bostancı. This will save 10 minutes per vehicle, and carbon emissions will be reduced by 13 tons annually."
"In the second five years, a 50.9 km road tunnel between Bayrampaşa and Büyükçekmece will be completed. With a saving of 45 minutes per vehicle, 44 tons of carbon emissions will be prevented annually. Between Harem-Çengelköy-Kavacık, a 23.8 km road connection will be established, providing an alternative route to the coastal road. With a saving of 20 minutes per vehicle, annual carbon emissions will decrease by 26 tons. Thus, Istanbul will become a city with intelligent, safe, comfortable, sustainable, climate-friendly, and emission-free transportation. The traffic load on the Anatolian side of the E-5 will be reduced with a 30 km side road arrangement between Göztepe and Çayırova. With a saving of 12 minutes per vehicle, carbon emissions will decrease by 20 tons annually."
"Twenty multi-level intersections and 151 intersection arrangements will be implemented at critical junctions experiencing traffic congestion. Projects to eliminate congestion at the Ataköy Junction, which has a low service level and causes traffic density on the D100 highway, will be swiftly implemented. This will ensure uninterrupted traffic flow on the D100 highway in the Edirne-Ankara directions, and the connection ramps in Şirinevler and Ataköy will be much more comfortable."
"Esenler Bus Terminal will be relocated to Eyüp İhsaniye neighborhood, and Harem Bus Terminal will move near the TEM Kurtköy Junction.
Six new logistics centers will be established outside the city. With these projects, the entry of heavy vehicles into the city center will be reorganized, reducing traffic load."
"Every year, 100 new vehicles will be added to the metrobus fleet, and 250 new vehicles will be added to the bus fleet.
New routes will be added to the metrobus. It will be extended to the TÜYAP-Silivri metrobus line."
"The parking problem in Istanbul will be solved with new parking projects for 250,000 vehicles. These parking lots will be established near main stops to encourage public transportation.
A 25% discount will be applied to ISPARK fees, and the first half-hour will be free. Electric vehicle charging stations will be installed in all ISPARK-owned parking lots.
With the @Parket app, all of Istanbul's parking lots will be at your fingertips in one application."
"To address Istanbul's taxi issues, the Central Taxi Management System will be quickly established.
The existing system will be changed to make taxis more efficient.
The actual need for taxis will be determined scientifically with digital data.
The number of taxis will be increased through a tender process, considering the satisfaction of all parties and without causing a decrease in value.
Digital taxi applications will be consolidated under a single central system.
Training, inspection, reward, and penalty systems will be implemented for taxi drivers.
In the first year, neighborhood council buildings and taxi stands will be redesigned in a way that reflects Istanbul's unique architecture."
"To alleviate Istanbul traffic, the share of sea transportation will double.
Three new routes will be introduced:
- Istinye to Yenikapı car ferry,
- Çubuklu to Yenikapı car ferry,
- Çengelköy to Yenikapı car ferry,
These projects will add alternative transportation options to the road network."
''To purify Istanbul from exhaust emissions and contribute to modern mobility, electric vehicle charging stations will be increased. The foundations for a car-free life with integrated transportation systems that prioritize pedestrians will be established. Smart transportation systems will be implemented. To promote next-generation mobility and smart transportation, bicycles will be made an attractive means of transportation. The length of bicycle lanes will be doubled by 2029, reaching 1000 kilometers, and by 2034, it will be expanded to 1500 kilometers. The number and quality of bicycle parks will be increased. New and convenient scooter parking areas will be established, and steps will be taken to promote the use of shared bicycles.''
"We have been in the field for 15 days. Everywhere I go, our people ask me about what to do regarding earthquake preparedness and urban transformation. As we always emphasize, we say that earthquake readiness is as important as combating terrorism; it is a national security issue. Yes, the agenda for Istanbul residents is earthquakes and urban transformation. We promise you, our mothers, our children; an Istanbul resilient against disasters. Currently, we have a total of 7.5 million homes and workplaces in our 39 districts. Unfortunately, 1.5 million of them are at risk. Urgent transformation of 600 thousand residences is needed starting from today.
Before the 2019 local elections, it was declared, 'We declare an earthquake mobilization.' It was stated, 'We will prepare Istanbul for earthquakes in 5 years.' The goal was set, 'We will transform 20 thousand homes every year, 100 thousand in 5 years.' The promise was made, 'We will rapidly complete 15 thousand social housing units.' Truth be told, the situation we describe as a lost 5 years is this; not being able to fulfill even 5% of what was promised. The metropolitan municipality, with the number of housing units it has produced, hasn't even reached half of the success of one of our district municipalities. Indeed, if they continue at this pace, they can complete the transformation in 100 years.
Urban transformation requires seriousness, a sense of responsibility. Because it is the right of our people to have shelter, the right to a secure life. We have never left these rights of our nation at the mercy of anyone until today, and we will never leave them in the future."
"Dear Istanbulites, rest assured, trust us. Because just as we completed 46,000 houses in the floods in Kastamonu, Rize, Bartın, the fires in Antalya, Muğla, the earthquakes in Elazığ, Malatya, and Izmir; just as we initiated the construction of 180,000 houses in the 11 provinces affected by the latest century's disaster in 3 months, when we took over the duty on April 1, we will swiftly make up for the lost years of Istanbul. Because we care! We want our mothers to live in their homes with security and peace. To prevent any family from experiencing pain, we want to demonstrate the highest level of determination. We will start working as soon as possible, moving systematically and collaboratively, beginning with the most risky areas of Istanbul."
"We promise to work until there is not a single risky building left in Istanbul. To achieve this, we will swiftly launch a comprehensive urban transformation initiative that will change the fate of our country. In 5 years, we will construct a total of 650,000 housing units in all 39 districts of Istanbul. These units will feature horizontal architecture, focus on neighborly relationships, and will not increase the population by a single person. Of these, 300,000 secure and peaceful homes will be built by KIPTAS, the construction arm of the municipality, which was deliberately halted. Starting on April 15, we will immediately begin accepting applications. We will provide a subsidy of 700,000 Turkish Lira, declaring, 'Half of it is from us.' In addition, we will offer 700,000 Turkish Lira in credit support and 100,000 Turkish Lira in moving assistance. The construction will be completed within 18 months. Furthermore, we will transform an additional 250,000 homes by supporting our citizens and private sector. We will swiftly implement necessary zoning changes, which we call the 'Facilitative Transformation Plan,' for the areas earmarked for transformation."
''Here comes another announcement. You will now hear about our new project for the first time. We will create 100,000 special social housing units for urban transformation and rent them at very low prices to the homeowners in need of transformation. All 39 districts will benefit from this project. The housing units will not be sold; instead, they will be rented at very affordable prices to all fellow citizens in need. This way, we will protect our low-income brothers and sisters against high rental prices in Istanbul.
We will establish Urban Transformation Offices in all 39 districts and in the riskiest neighborhoods. Citizens can come here, find answers to all their questions, learn all the details about what to do, and join the transformation process with peace of mind.''
''Dear Istanbulites, for the past 15 days, we have been present in every neighborhood, every street of this city. Together, as millions of Istanbulites, we will work for Istanbul to take action with the vision of "Turkey Century in Istanbul." We will strive wholeheartedly for the goal of making Istanbul the Leading City of the Turkey Century, the Flag City Istanbul. Together, we will compensate for the lost 5 years of Istanbul.
In every district of this city, we will implement a model urbanization that will serve as an example to the whole world. For everyone to benefit fairly from the opportunities of this city; for our children to live in secure and peaceful homes; for our families to lead lives of prosperity, where the population does not increase, but our existing population grows stronger; we will run for a robust economy. We will work for a Istanbul where children reach their mothers in the fastest and safest way, a Istanbul without troubles. And most importantly, we will work for Istanbul that gives the value it deserves to our history, our unique heritage, culture, and the legacy of our civilization.
Our direction is Istanbul! Our soul is Istanbul! Our heart is Istanbul! And hopefully, on the evening of March 31, history will be rewritten in beautiful Istanbul! On the evening of March 31, neglect will end in Istanbul, and the history of those who love every street of this city will begin. On the evening of March 31, social media municipality will end; real municipality will begin! From the morning of April 1, in the skies of Istanbul, winds of prosperity, well-being, welfare, peace, and brotherhood will blow! And together, we will end the period of Istanbul's gap! We will start its revival, its rise, its renaissance together. With these feelings, I thank each of you for your participation and greet you with love, respect, and reverence.''
