İmamoğlu's 'bus purchase' statement: 'Sign these, let us get on with our work'

IETT is implementing investments that will increase its operational capacity, in addition to new metrobus and bus vehicle investments. 

Construction of the IETT Başakşehir Garage has begun to ensure that the maintenance, repair, parking, and preparation processes for new routes for vehicles can be carried out in a much more modern and secure manner.

The foundation of the IETT Başakşehir Garage, which will cost approximately 340 million TL and be put into service in July 2025, was laid with a ceremony. The ceremony was attended by IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, CHP Party Assembly members Mahir Yüksel and Turgay Özcan, CHP Istanbul Deputy Zeynel Emre, as well as Avcılar Mayor Utku Caner Çaykara, Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, Küçükçekmece Mayor Kemal Çebi, IMM Secretary General Can Akın Çağlar, and IETT General Manager İrfan Demet. İmamoğlu and Demet each delivered speeches at the ceremony.

İmamoğlu stated the following:

'WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL 5 YEARS'

The most important issue regarding people having a comfortable and high-quality life in metropolitan areas is the steps taken and investments made regarding transportation. I believe we have had a very successful period in this regard over the past 5 years. We have done important work and carried out record-level metro construction. Of course, at the same time, we have realized an effective 5 years with the investments we have made in both land and sea transportation. Of course, while doing and realizing all these 5 years, one should not forget our difficulties. Both the pandemic period and the unfortunately never-ending economic problems and crises of our country, certain difficult thresholds in national and international finance, and especially high costs… Despite experiencing a number of difficulties, all of these are an indicator of how important these strong steps we have taken are.

"5 MILLION JOURNEYS ARE MADE DAILY"

One of the important issues for Istanbul regarding transportation is the bus issue, and in this regard, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality is far ahead in terms of public transportation by bus at a level higher than any other city in the world. Of course, Istanbulites make a lot of journeys by bus.  For example, when you look at some European cities in Istanbul, our people make 2-2.5 times more journeys in Istanbul. Of course, the hero of all these journeys is IETT. Our 153-year-old ancient institution IETT actually performs a very great duty in Istanbul's public transportation. It signs off on exactly five million journeys every day at every point.

260 VEHICLES WILL BE PREPARED FOR SERVICE AT THE SAME TIME

It is very valuable that we have brought 785 new vehicles to IETT in 5 years. And while managing the process regarding these vehicles, there are, of course, certain elements of being able to provide service by keeping the issue at the highest level of benefit, at the same time savings, and at the same time quality at the highest level. That is, the construction of a garage equipped to prepare a significant number of vehicles, around 260 vehicles, for service at the same time in this 44 thousand square meter area we built today. The importance of the issue is as follows; we are gathering the garages together at the highest level at a certain point, and we will add two more garages to our two new garages.

'ALL BUSES NOW SERVE UNDER A SINGLE ROOF'

Previously, there was a class called private public buses in addition to IETT buses. By eliminating this class, we have initiated a very meticulous period by gathering them under the same roof to serve under a single roof and by eliminating certain problems where private public bus operators competed with each other through meaningless and irrational competition within themselves in the form of lines that earn little, earn a lot, or do not earn at all and lose money, or where complaints are high, and by pricing per kilometer. Of course, an excuse used to be put forward in the past; 'it's not our bus, it's the private public buses' bus.' Therefore, if the air conditioning is not working, it's their problem, or if there is another problem, it's their problem… We chose not to say that. Our preference is this; ultimately, it is under the control and supervision of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and IETT, and it is our responsibility.

'I TRUST THEM ALL VERY MUCH'

Yes, there are some disruptions, some problems. There are also some problems in their own operations. But we have not been, and will not be, an administration that runs away from these problems. We solve the problem in a civilized way, and then our people have quality air conditioning that works, and the driver serves in the most moral way; I always say, when we see one of our employees, our driver in IETT, and we now have female captains too,  when we see them, I say to each of them, please be our eyes, our tongue, our attitude. That is, you are already smiling and you are people who do your job well. I know it is a difficult task to steer for hours during the day, but you have taken on this responsibility. Then, as an individual representing the 100 thousand people of the huge Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, behave well; we share our recommendations with our friends. And I say that I trust them all very much, and I repeat it here again.

'THE OLYMPICS ARE A TREMENDOUS SHOWCASE'

Tomorrow, I will go to the opening of the Olympic Games, and because of our claim in the 2036 Olympic Games, which we are a candidate for as Istanbul, I will attend some training, seminars, and briefings regarding both the opening and the processes of the cities that are candidates afterwards. The 2036 Olympics is not just a sports festival, it is a goal, it is a vision. You set that vision as environmentally friendly, you set it as a destination for multi-faceted work, from clean energy to zero carbon emissions, and especially increasing green areas and building subways, which we describe as green solutions. Because, for example, do you know what comes to mind when you say Olympics? The first place where all Olympic-related cities are compared is transportation again. That is, is transportation good? Because both athletes, administrators, hundreds of thousands of people, every country in the world participates. Plus, it is a tremendous showcase with the position of a city that is becoming a brand, where millions of spectators come and go.

"RESPECT FOR DEMOCRACY TAKES US FORWARD"

Therefore, while we set the 2036 Olympics as a target and run towards it, we must fulfill all these processes properly, such as eliminating our deficiencies, for example, at least doubling the level of rail systems we are in today, hopefully, which are used largely in certain areas only in electric buses, and we are doing our work on autonomous vehicles. In this context, solidarity is very important. Thinking together is very important. There is no such institution or that institution of this country. There is no such municipality or that municipality. There is no such party's municipality or that party's municipality. There is no such minister from that party, or such municipality from that party. Look, all these concepts pull this nation back. The disappearance of these concepts, the belief in democracy, the belief in the rule of law, and respect for democracy take us forward. It liberates our people. It ensures that our children look to the future with hope. In such a society, sports also become beautiful, medals increase. In such a society, beautiful elections are held for its federations. There are qualified environments. Environments where attitudes are also beautiful are provided. We want this.

THE LOAN WAS READY, WE COULD NOT GET THE APPROVAL 

As the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, we could have bought 300 buses 5 years ago just like that. The loan, everything was ready. We could not get our approval. One signature… Now there are Treasury approvals that we have been waiting for for months, even for more than a year. In today's economic difficulties, of course, the Honorable Minister of Finance has difficult days. He has difficult tasks. He has measures to take, but Istanbul's work must also proceed. Look, these loans are important loans, that some of our treasury approvals are waiting. Why would you say? Important funds. At the same time, with the lowest interest rate entering this country, with 2-3 years of grace period. That is, long-term loan opportunities that will contribute to us overcoming these difficult days and on the other hand, where we will bring foreign financing into the country… You will sign a signature, and those loan opportunities will enter the country. Do not delay us, it is a pity. You are not doing anything to Ekrem İmamoğlu. You are causing trouble for the people of Istanbul, it is a pity. Sign the signature. Let us thank you too. One signature...

"WHILE INVITING SOMEONE TO THE PODIUM..."

Why am I giving an example from five years ago? If we had bought 300 buses, we would have 1084 buses in our fleet today, not 784. We would have a younger fleet in terms of vehicle age. Who benefits from this? The people of Istanbul benefit. That is, when we do 350 kilometers, 700 kilometers, when we become one of the most modern cities in the world, the value of Istanbul increases, the value of our Turkey increases. Looking at these issues nationally, saying this party, that party; Ekrem İmamoğlu or someone else, it is not right to do the opposite. Or, while inviting someone to the podium, not giving a seat to the metropolitan mayor because he is from that party is an undemocratic attitude and behavior that remains outside the framework of respect. While saying all this, can't we produce a solution? By God, we can. We can find other kinds of solutions. We can find ways and methods to overcome other kinds of difficulties, but it wasted time for our country, our cities, our nation. Sign these. Let us get on with our work. Let us compete in goodness, let us compete in better service. Let us compete in more scientific fields for the existence of a stronger society. Let us not chatter. These are chattering jobs. This is what blocking the signature is. In that respect, we are determined to serve Istanbul with rational, scientific, and correctly planned investments. We are determined in our entire institution.

IT WILL BE COMPLETED IN JULY 2025

IETT General Manager İrfan Demet shared the following information about the garage whose foundation was laid:

“Our Başakşehir Garage, where we are hosting you today and whose foundation we will lay together; has an area of 44 thousand square meters. The garage, which will allow the simultaneous parking of a total of 261 buses, 50 of which are new generation electric buses and their charging stations, will have an indoor area of 5 thousand square meters. The garage, where 8 buses can receive all kinds of maintenance and repair services at the same time, including paint and bodywork, and 3 buses can receive refueling and cleaning services at the same time, will be equipped with today's modern technologies and will also be environmentally friendly. Thanks to the recycling system to be established within the garage, 85 percent of the water used will be recycled. In this way, a contribution will also be made to the optimum use of our city's water resources. With the Solar Energy System to be installed, 50 percent of all electrical energy needed by the facility will be supplied from the sun, and another significant saving will be achieved. Our IETT Başakşehir Garage, which will cost approximately 340 million TL and will be put into service in July 2025, will serve as IETT's 19th garage in Istanbul.”

News Source: 12punto