The extraordinary rainfall that affected Istanbul on October 14 caused water accumulation in many parts of the city, and the situation in the parking areas of the Vadistanbul Shopping Mall was also brought to the public's attention.
In a statement on its social media account, the Vadistanbul management stated that the heavy rainfall caused water accumulation, particularly in the Sarıyer and Ayazağa regions. The statement noted that some of the rainwater accumulating on the roads and surfaces around Maslak and Ayazağa reached the mall's parking areas due to the natural slope of the region.
The management reported that the situation was limited to the parking areas and that the shopping mall's operations were not affected. It was stated that the mall remains open, shops and businesses continue their operations, and cleaning and maintenance work is ongoing in the parking areas affected by the rainwater.
ZONING PROCESS DEBATE
Following the flooding, the past zoning process of the area where Vadistanbul is located has once again become a subject of debate. Former Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Council member Hüseyin Sağ claimed in a post on his social media account that the project's path was cleared through zoning plan changes made during the Kadir Topbaş era.
Sağ stated that the area in question is where Evyap's 40-year-old soap factory was located in Ayazağa, and expressed that after the zoning process that began in 2004, the region became "one of Turkey's largest projects." In his post, he drew attention to the fact that the area is located next to the Kağıthane Stream and within a forest.
In his post, Sağ also argued that a monorail permit was granted specifically for the project at the IMM Council. Using the phrase "Nature has given the necessary answer, and it will continue to do so," the former IMM Council member pointed to the debate over construction in stream beds and valley areas.
As experts frequently emphasize, dense construction in stream beds and valleys is cited among the factors that increase the risk of flooding during periods of extreme rainfall. The recent water accumulation around Vadistanbul has once again brought the debates on zoning decisions, natural slopes, and rainwater management in Istanbul to the agenda.
News Source: 12punto
