Istanbul to open tender for two new metro lines

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has announced plans for a tender for two new metro lines in September.

"A tender will be held for the subway lines between Ataköy-?kitelli on the European side and Dudullu-Bostanc? on the Asian side in September," Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topba? said in a statement released Aug. 12.

The Ataköy-?kitelli line on Istanbul's European side will be 13.3 kilometers long and will carry around 45,000 passengers per hour in one direction, said the statement.

The journey time between Ataköy and ?kitelli will be 19.5 minutes, said Topba?, adding that the tender would be held Sept. 14.

Topba? also said the Ataköy-?kitelli line would be integrated with other rail systems, including the Marmaray and another metro line in Ba?c?lar. 

Residents living in Bak?rköy, Bahçelievler, Ba?c?lar, Küçükçekmece and Ba?ak?ehir will be able to use the lines, said Topba?.

The Dudullu-Bostanc? line on Istanbul's Asian side will be 14.2 kilometers and will also have the capacity to carry 45,000 passengers an hour.

The tender for the line will be held on Sept. 10, while the journey between Dudullu and Bostanc? will take 21 minutes, said the statement. 

Topba? said the Dudullu-Bostanc? line would cross Maltepe, Kad?köy, Ata?ehir and Ümraniye and connect with the Kad?köy-Kartal and Üsküdar-Ümraniye-Sancaktepe-Çekmeköy metro lines.