Restructuring Istanbul against quake at top of agenda: Governor

ISTANBUL

Newly-appointed Istanbul Governor Davut Gül has stated that the expected major earthquake in the city is their top agenda, saying that his office is working to “restructure Istanbul” to make it more resistant to tremors.

Reminding that Istanbul, home to nearly 16 million people and located in a seismic zone, is facing the risk of earthquakes, Gül warned that “Istanbul might pay a heavy price” if precautions are not taken, in an interview with daily Milliyet.

“First of all, we need to raise awareness about the earthquake. In addition to our office, we need to make Istanbul more resilient with the support of ministries, local governments and NGOs,” he expressed.

Stating that their priority is the demolition of severely damaged buildings, Gül emphasized the need to accelerate urban transformation in Istanbul.

Gül also pointed out that earthquake transformation should not only be confined to residential spaces but also include industrial and commercial areas.

“It should not be solely considered as a housing issue. There should be a transformation in industry and trade as well. With this transformation, Istanbul will also gain more green spaces and social facilities. We need to consider earthquake risk as an opportunity to restructure Istanbul,” Gül said.

Touching upon education in the city, the governor stated that they are working on projects to switch to an education model in which students will receive full-time education instead of categorizing it as classes in the morning and afternoon.

“I will try to bring the education of our children to the best level with the support of the Education Ministry and benefactors. We will sign our first protocol with one of our benefactors.”

Gül also said he aims to establish protocols with 1,000 philanthropists in this matter, just after the Eid holiday.

Referring to the restoration projects in cultural and historical places in the city, the governor stressed that these projects will be accelerated.

“It is quite essential to preserve the historical identity of Istanbul and to transfer its history to future generations,” Gül said.

Addressing the security situation in the city, Gül stated that Istanbul is considered one of the safest cities among European and global metropolises in terms of public safety.

There has been an 8 percent decrease in public order incidents in Istanbul over the past three years, the governor said.