All buildings in Istanbul to be renewed by 2035: Minister

Gülistan Alagöz - ISTANBUL

Istanbul has no urgent agenda than the expected magnitude 7 Marmara earthquake and urban transformation, said the country’s environment, urbanization and the climate change minister, adding that all the residences in Istanbul will be renewed by 2035.

Speaking at an urban renewal ceremony in the Tozkoparan neighborhood, Murat Kurum said his ministry is working on 39 districts of Turkey’s most populous province.

“Since 2012, we have renewed some 600,000 buildings in the metropolis in a decade,” he said and promised to fix some 900,000 more “unhealthy” properties in coming years.

“By 2035, there will be no unsecured structures or unrenewed houses in Istanbul. We will not leave a family without hope,” he assured.

He highlighted that the ministry would change Istanbul “centimeter by centimeter,” preparing it against any potential earthquake.

Within the scope of the urban renewal project in Tozkoparan, one of 11 neighborhoods of the Güngören district, nearly 1,500 new buildings will be built. “Güngören will be ready for calamities,” he underlined.

According to official data by the ministry, some 3 million buildings have been renewed until now, and with an investment worth 120 billion Turkish Liras, some 350,000 buildings are in the renewal process at the moment across the country.

As of 2020 data, there are 6.4 million apartments in Istanbul, with people officially residing in some 4.4 million of them.