Turkey: A new city to be built in Istanbul, says minister 2012-08-09

Turkey: A new city to be built in Istanbul, says minister

A city with a projected people of 1 million is planned to be built within Istanbul, Anatolia news agency reports quoting Turkish Minister of Environment and Urbanization Erdogan Bayraktar as saying. "The city we are planning to build will be around Kayasehir. We will expand on that core," Bayraktar said in a written statement.

Kayasehir is a district on the outskirts of the European side of Istanbul. Planning of the next city has already begun Bayraktar said and while the target goal is a people of million initial plans call for a steady increase in people over time, beginning with 500,000, then 700,000 and finally 1 million. Bayraktar as well gave data about efforts to transform areas currently at risk from natural disasters, which the city plans to officially start in October. In the meantime at risk buildings are currently being tallied. In 2023 the ministry hopes cities will be additional organized and of a higher quality, Bayraktar said. Urban transformation will not only focus on areas under risk of damage due to natural disasters, but as well on amount dilapidated and illegal structures. According to Bayraktar areas in Istanbul which are ill-prepared for earthquakes will be remodeled in accordance with ground safety.

Bayraktar stated that they aimed to conclude the process in less than 20 years.