Turkish Fast-Train Project on the Right Track

Minister says Turkish fast-train unstoppable. The Turkish transportation minister said Wednesday that Turkey’s high-speed train project was an unstoppable development move.

Delivering a speech at the inauguration of “Eurasia Rail Rolling Stock, Infrastructure & Logistics Fair” in capital Ankara, Turkish Transportation Minister Binali Yıldırım said: “Nobody can stop this great project. The high-speed train has departed from Eskişehir and it is on its way to Istanbul, Konya and Sivas. It will soon travel to Erzincan and Kars.”

Yıldırım said the railways had slowly become the transportation system of the future in Turkey’s region, Europe, Central Asia, Far East and even in the U.S.

The minister said Turkey had invested more than 20 billion Turkish Liras in railway projects in the last 8 years.

Yıldırım also noted that railway was not only a means of transportation for Turkey, but it was also a symbol for culture, independence and development.

“We will invest at least 50 billion TL in railway projects in the next 10 years,” he said.

The minister said 11,000 kilometers of new networks would also be constructed within the next 12-15 years and the share of railway transportation would exceed 20 percent.

Eurasia Rail Rolling Stock, Infrastructure and Logistics Fair, held at Anfa Altinpark Expo Center in Ankara, will stay open until March 5.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
SOURCE: HURRIYETDAILYNEWS.COM