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Contractors to face intense scrutiny from Ministry of Public Works
Speaking at a recent roundtable discussion titled “Turkey’s most pressing agenda: How prepared is İstanbul for an earthquake?” held at the Zaman daily’s headquarters, the ministry’s deputy undersecretary and building affairs general director, Mücahit Demirtaş, announced an extensive plan that is expected to ensure that newly constructed buildings will be much safer for people even during powerful earthquakes.
Participants of the discussion all agreed that urban renewal is a must for Turkey given the poor quality of buildings throughout the country, a problem attributed in large part to illegally constructed buildings and settlements and contractor neglect. They also stressed that construction should at least be carried out according to a set of standards dictated by the ministry. In what appeared to be a response to this common demand, Demirtaş announced the ministry’s plan for the first time at the panel discussion.
According to the plan, all contractors and their work will be frequently inspected and records kept in a database at the ministry. In order to start construction, all contractors will be obliged to first register with the ministry. They will also be required to make sure the ministry has them on file before undertaking any projects. Once the ministry’s plan enters into force, no contractor will be able to carry out any kind of construction project without being registered.
“Everyone who establishes a corporate body will work as a contractor, but we will have certain rules there. Governors’ offices and municipality inspection teams will investigate irregularities in projects and licenses. If they are not in order, the contractor in question will not be allowed to acquire a license or initiate another project anywhere in Turkey without addressing the irregularities,” Demirtaş said, detailing his ministry’s plan, according to which all construction work will be closely followed through contractors’ ID numbers.
“All contractors will be closely scrutinized. We will know who is carrying out what project where in Turkey. Every contractor will be assessed upon completing their ongoing work. If someone is seen as having failed to comply with our standards, then that particular contractor will not be able to receive permission to launch any other project within Turkey’s borders,” Demirtaş said, adding that this system of intense scrutiny will be enforced soon. He did not, however, specify the exact date. “Irregularities in the Turkish construction industry will cease thanks to this project,” he concluded.
Materials to be standardized
Demirtaş also announced that his ministry has carried out the required studies to start inspecting construction materials. He argued that in a year’s time those producing or selling non-standard construction supplies will no longer have space to keep working in the industry. “We are approaching the days when all actors in the construction material black market will suffer because of the envisioned judicial and pecuniary punishments,” Demirtaş said, noting that the ministry will have the authority to inspect even privately built projects for the quality of the materials used.
“After these regulations come into effect, people will be obliged to use materials of a standardized quality even in private jobs. All those materials will have to be branded and comply with standards. They will all need to be certified,” he said. Apart from Demirtaş, 10 more experts from state agencies, universities and NGOs considered the best in their field shared their views during the panel discussion. They all welcomed the ministry’s move.
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