10 September 2009 / MUZAFFER SALCIOĞLU , İSTANBUL
The Marmaray project, connecting the European and Asian sides of İstanbul with a railway under the Bosporus, has moved one step closer to completion, with two tunnels recently reaching Üsküdar.
The Yavuz and Atatürk tunnels, which start from Söğütlüçeşme, reached Üsküdar on Monday. The final phase of the project began with a ceremony on Sept. 7 attended by Transportation Minister Binali Yıldırım. One of the few underwater tube projects in the world, construction on the Marmaray tunnel is 60 meters beneath the surface of the Bosporus. Though most of the work on the Asian side has been completed on time, work on the European side has been slowed by archaeological finds.“Archeological excavations have been completed. There is no obstacle preventing us from completing the project. Archeological artifacts uncovered during excavations have revealed the 8,500-year-old history of İstanbul. The result of this project is not only Marmaray. It has also uncovered the city's hidden history,” noted Yıldırım.
The minister also said the delay in the completion of the project has increased costs. “The contractor and the General Directorate of Railways, Ports and Airports Construction [DHL] did not give up on the project though they suffered financial losses because this project is not focused on earning money. It is a project to improve the prestige of Turkey. The most important thing is to complete this project successfully,” Yıldırım remarked.
