Turkey’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Adil Karaismailoğlu has announced that tunnel excavation works for Istanbul M3 Line extension between Bakirkoy and Kirazli have been completed and the progress rate of the project has reached 70%.
The tunnel excavation included 17 km, and for 13.5 km were used two TBMs and for 3.5 km works have been delivered using classical tunneling method. At the same time, 5 km of the 17 km of track installation has been completed.
In addition, 67% of the total construction area of 105,000 square meters at 7 stations has been completed. “We continue our works such as station finishing works, reinforced concrete, electromechanical and signalling installation to complete the project within a year,” the Minister of Transport Karaismailoğlu explained.
The Istanbul M3 Line extension project covers the construction of an 8.4 km line with 7 stations from Bakirkoy to Kirazli and when completed, it will provide uninterrupted metro transport services along the entire line. Through Incirli station, the extension line will provide connection to the M1A Yenikapi-Ataturk Airport line and M2 Sefakoy-Haciosman metro line. Ozgurluk Meydani station will provide the connection to the Marmaray line and to the bus network towards Bakirkoy coastal area.
The authorities estimate that the southern extension will have a capacity of 70,000 passengers per hour per direction.
The line is being constructed as the second phase of the existing M3 Kirazli-Metrokent / Basaksehir metro line towards south. Once completed, the line will facilitate access to the business and industrial areas in the north and residential areas in the south of the city from the highly populated areas going vertically down through E5 and E6 highways.
With the existing integrations of M3 Kirazli-Basaksehir line, the line will integrate with Incirli station of M1A Yenikapi-Ataturk Airport and M2 Sefakoy-Haciosman metro lines, Ozgurluk Meydani station of Marmaray line and the sea bus at Bakirkoy coastal area.
The M3 line (Kirazli–Basaksehir line) is 11 km long with 9 stations built on the European side of Istanbul and through the Kirazli station is provide metro connection to the M1.
The M3 is also extended to the north on the 6.2 km Basaksehir – Kayasehir route. The authorities are working on metro and tram expansion by constructing 7 other lines and extensions totalling 103 km. When they will be completed, the urban rail network of Istanbul will increase to 366.3 km from 263 km.
To overcome traffic problems in Istanbul, “it is extremely important to expand the rail systems. This is the best mobility solution a city can provide inhabitants to travel in a fast and easy manner,” the minister said.
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