Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30
By Rufiz Hafizoglu – Trend:
Turkey will increase the number of road tunnels, a source in the Ministry of Transport, Maritime and Communications of the country told Trend Aug. 30.
It is currently expected to commission six road tunnels and one railway tunnel, according to the source.
“One of the tunnels, called New Mount Zigana Tunnel, will be built between the northern provinces of Trabzon and Gumushane, and its length will be 14.5 kilometers,” the ministry said.
The ministry noted that the construction of the tunnel started in March 2017 and will end October 29, 2019.
The ministry also noted that the construction of the Mount Ovit Tunnel between the Turkish northern provinces of Rize and Erzurum continues.
“In turn, Mount Kop Tunnel will be built between the northern provinces of Bayburt and Erzurum, and its length will be 13 kilometers,” the ministry said.
The ministry noted that the construction of the tunnel began in 2012 and it is scheduled to be completed in 2019.
The source noted that the construction of the Sabuncubeli Tunnel, which should link the western provinces of Izmir and Manisa, also continues.
“At present, laying of the Sabuncubeli Tunnel has been completed by almost 97 percent,” the ministry said. “The length of this tunnel will be 6.4 kilometers and it is expected that it will be commissioned in early September 2017.”
The ministry noted that the length of another road tunnel called Cankurtaran, the construction of which still continues in Artvin province in the north-west of Turkey, will be 5.2 kilometers.
“Construction of the Cankurtaran Tunnel started in October 2010, and the tunnel boring work ended in 2014,” the ministry said.
The source added that construction of the Dolmabahce-Fulya Tunnel is currently underway, and its length is 2.02 kilometers.
“It is expected that the Dolmabahce-Fulya Tunnel will be put into operation in 2018,” the ministry said.
It should be recalled that currently, there are 39 road and three railway tunnels in Turkey.