Crack in Istanbul’s intercontinental metro construction causes concern

Burcu PURTUL UÇAR ISTANBUL

When the sustaining wall on the left side of the planned Marmaray line between Yenikapı and Halkalı moved due to the construction, crack appeared. One of the road’s lanes was closed to traffic because of the crack. DHA Photo

A long, deep crack emerged in the ground during the ongoing construction of the Marmaray, the metro line that connects Istanbul’s Asian and European sides, has caused concern, locals say.

The construction to replace the old railway with a modern station in the Zeytinburnu neighborhood has been temporarily suspended after an almost 100-meter-long crack with a width of 15 cm was noticed on the adjacent road on May 19.

Officials poured concrete into the crack the same day to cover it.

When it is completed, 76.3 km-long Marmaray will have 41 stations, some of them underground. The rail tunnel that links Asia to Europe was inaugurated on October 29, 2013.