Transformation to begin in 700 disaster risked zones

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Areas in the highest-risk earthquake zones will undergo urban transformation, Environment Minister Bayraktar says. AA photo

The urban transformation of areas at risk of disaster will begin simultaneously in 700 places in Turkey with a ceremony, in which the prime minister will participate, the environment and urban planning minister has revealed.

In an interview with a TV program, Erdoğan Bayraktar said the ceremony would be held on a date to be determined by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Bayraktar said both personal and public buildings would be transformed. “Lots of public buildings, including military lodgings, schools and our ministry building will be transformed. We will begin with the most urgent and easiest places. If the citizens request their dwellings be transformed, we will get to work for them. … There are demands from Esenler, Beyoğlu, and Gaziosmanpaşa municipalities. We will also conduct our project in İzmir,” Bayraktar added.

Earthquake-risk zones

According to Bayraktar, first the areas in the highest-risk earthquake zone will undergo urban transformation. He also demanded everyone have their houses tested. “With urban transformation, we aim to get rid of buildings not resistant to earthquakes. Buildings constructed before 1999 do not satisfy our criteria. We observed that licensed or unlicensed buildings constructed after 1948 lacked sufficient engineering. With this law, we encourage Turkey, especially the cities at risk for earthquakes, to have their buildings tested.” Bayraktar said.

Bayraktar also said if a building was detected to be risky and needs to be demolished after the examinations, the residents of this building would be given housing benefits and a new dwelling. The minister also said green areas, parks and gardens would be increased in the new urban projects.

Meanwhile, Republican People’s Party (CHP) is thinking of applying to the Supreme Court for the cancellation of the law related to the urban transformation of areas under the risk of catastrophy.