The safety tunnels opened in the Kavak-Sandal region in Yıldızeli district for the Ankara-Sivas high-speed train (YHT) line are being filled again due to incorrect planning.
CHP Sivas Deputy Ulaş Karasu announced that the security tunnels opened in the Kavak-Sandal region of Yıldızeli district for the Ankara-Sivas high-speed train (YHT) line, which is under construction, have started to be filled again on the grounds that they were planned incorrectly. Karasu said, "We are waiting for the Minister of Transport to explain why this line has been refilled."
Ulaş Karasu stated that the previously opened 2008-kilometer safety tunnels of the Ankara-Sivas YHT line, the foundation of which was laid in 2021 by the State Railways and the construction of which continues, although it is planned to be completed in 20, and for which 2 billion TL has been spent so far, started to be filled, saying that it was "wrongly planned". In a statement made today in the security tunnel, Karasu said:
Instructed to refill
“The Kavak-Sandal region of the Ankara-Sivas high-speed train line. Here is the T-18 tunnel. I'm in the route opened for two security tunnels right now. This route consists of an area of approximately 2 kilometers. This area was opened by the State Railways officials to build a security tunnel here. Ground improvements were made. In this region, which consists of fertile agricultural lands, expropriation works were carried out despite the opposition of the farmers. At the last moment, when all the excavations were done and the work started, the State Railways ordered that a mistake was made here, that this place was wrong and that this line should be refilled. The line is now being recharged.
'We are waiting for the Minister of Transport'
This is one of the best examples of how our country's resources are squandered and how the rights of an unfinished orphan in this country are usurped. Millions of liras of money spent... Unfortunately, it is being closed again with the understanding of 'we made a mistake', it is requested to be closed. I would like to call out to the officials of the State Railways and the Ministry of Transport: If you do not know this job, if you do not carry the people who know this job to the staff, if you do not bring the qualified staff to the posts, here are the events that took place on the Sivas high-speed train line are happening all over the region. There are constant dents and slips. There are always wrong productions and Sivaslı continues to wait for the high-speed train, unfortunately. We will ask the account of this, the account of those who made this mistake, and the necessary accounts when we come to power through the court. Let no one doubt that. But now we are waiting for the explanation of why this line has been refilled from the Minister of Transport.”
Karasu brought the issue to the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
Karasu submitted a parliamentary question on the subject, asking the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Adil Karaismailoğlu, to answer. Karasu asked Minister Karaismailoğlu, “For what reason was the construction of the security tunnel planned to be built in the said area cancelled? What is the amount of appropriation spent so far for these tunnels in Turkish lira? Is there any study being done to determine whether the security tunnel, the construction of which has been canceled, poses a risk in terms of navigational safety?
the cost of labor and time spent should be explained.