The foundation of Afyonkarahisar's largest transportation project, AFRAY, was laid. The project, which will ease the city traffic and provide comfortable and fast travel to the center, is 7,5 km long.
The groundbreaking ceremony of the project, which consists of 6 passenger stations, was held on the route to the Afyon Kocatepe University campus area. The investment, which is integrated with the High Speed Train project of our Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, is aimed to be completed in 2024.
Starting from Ali Çetinkaya station, Afyon Kocatepe University, Ahmet Necdet Sezer campus Erenler, Karşıyaka The foundation of the city rail transportation system AFRAY, which includes the neighborhoods and Zafer Square; Hosted by our President Mehmet Zeybek, our Governor Assoc. Dr. Kübra Güran Yiğitbaşı, our deputies İbrahim Yurdunuseven, Ali Özkaya, Veysel Eroğlu, Deputy General Manager of Infrastructure Investments of the Ministry of Transport Enver Mamur, parliamentary candidates, students, members of the press and our citizens were expelled.
“STUDENTS AND CITIZENS WILL BE EASY TO ACCESS TO THE CITY CENTER”
Enver Mamur, Deputy General Manager of Infrastructure Investments of the Ministry of Transport, shared information about the investment and drew attention to its importance for the city. In his speech; “As a result of the on-site inspection with the presence of our Minister of Transport, we have reached the digging stage of the AFRAY project, which we decided to build with the instruction of our Minister. Our Ankara-İzmir high-speed railway project, covering a distance of 500 km, was on a route that passed 10 km from the conventional railway line station in our Afyon province. Upon the request of our Mayor and Afyon provincial administrators, we saw that such a project was in great need. This project will enable the Ankara-İzmir high-speed railway project to enter Afyon. It will also provide a direct connection to the railway station located here. AFRAY will connect the university and important settlements to the center. 7 and a half km railway line, 6 stations, 6 pedestrian overpasses and 4 road crossings will be put into service. In this way, the university, which has approximately 50 thousand students, will be connected to the city center. located on the line Karşıyaka Transportation to the city center will be provided for 15 thousand citizens residing in the Neighborhoods of Erenler and Neighborhoods. I wish our AFRAY project to be beneficial for Afyon and our country.”
“AFRAY WILL BE FREE TO UNIVERSITY STUDENTS”
In his speech, Mayor Mehmet Zeybek explained how the project reached this stage and shared the good news of free transportation; “We carried out a study on how we can provide our students with easier access to the city center in the university region. We realized that we could crown this with the AFRAY project, and with the support of our esteemed deputies, we reached an agreement as a result of consultations with our General Manager of State Railways. The project was tendered. Our first stage was between Erenler and Ali Çetinkaya station. The second stage would continue between Ali Çetinkaya and İscehisar. During the visit of our Minister of Transport to Afyon after the new tender was made, there was a large expropriated area within the lands of our high-speed train station Sadıkbey Neighborhood. We have extended our AFRAY project to the high-speed train station in order to see how we can make the transportation of the visitors coming to Afyon with the high-speed train to the city more easily. He did such a study. When we explained this to our Minister of Transport, our Minister said, “This project is our project, we include it in the high-speed train.” she said. Our company, which received the high-speed train tender, also stated that they will make our project within the high-speed train investment. Changes have been made to the project. We will lay the foundation today with the latest arrangement. It was of great importance for the development of Afyon. We will transport our fellow citizens and students who come to Ali Çetinkaya station to the city center with a nostalgic system. We also aim to transport our students to the city center free of charge. To our students and brothers, Erenler and Karşıyaka Good luck to our neighborhood, to all Afyon," he said.
“Words fly, WORK REMAINS”
Drawing attention to the services rendered in Deputy İbrahim Yurdunuseven, “We are at the groundbreaking ceremony of the AFRAY project, which is one of the words of our Mayor, and behind which we all stand like a castle. Together with AFRAY, we do several things together. We will transport our students from here to the bazaar and from the bazaar to their school. Our President also promised free transportation to the Victory Square. There were reproaches saying that we do not want to go to the bazaar from here, students do not come to the bazaar. We will have solved this. We will bring our fellow citizens together with the bazaar. The word flies, the work remains. People are known for their work. Our President, Mehmet, will be remembered for the works he has done and the works he has done without making any promises. We thank him very much for that. We do our service and meet you with openings. We are in the business of making works, serving, working. On the morning of May 15, we will continue to serve in the new Turkish Century. Good luck to our Afyon,” he said.
“TRANSPORTATION TO THE CITY CENTER WILL BE MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE”
Our Deputy Ali Özkaya, emphasizing that the project will contribute to tourism and ease transportation; During the 2019 mayoral election, when we talked about the services we will do to Afyonkarahisar, we saw that the biggest problem is the traffic problem, and part of this problem is the problem between the university and the city. We had negotiated the project we developed with DDY. Later, the project was transferred to the General Directorate of Infrastructure by our Ministry. It was included in the Ankara-İzmir high-speed train project. Our Ministry has undertaken a very important support. In this respect, we thank our Ministry of Transport. Due to the 6 February earthquake, our Minister was assigned to the earthquake zone. That's why we held this ceremony with a delay of 2 months. We hope that in the coming years, our young people will have a much easier access to the city center, and in the next step, hopefully, this line will be completed with the tourism and thermal centers in the Gazlıgöl basin and the journey from the city center to the tourism center will continue. I say God show us to see those days too. I wish AFRAY to be beneficial to our city.”
“A WONDERFUL AND EXPECTED INVESTMENT FOR AFYON”
Thanking Mayor Mehmet Zeybek, our Deputy Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroğlu said, “The biggest problem of cities is transportation. Mr. President has also dealt with this issue. We are proud of our Ministry of Transport, great investments are being made in Turkey. When we look at the highways, it used to take 10-12 hours to get to Istanbul from here. 600 km divided road was built in Afyonkarahisar. Afyon will be the junction point of highways, hopefully it will be the junction point of high-speed trains. All roads lead to Afyonkarahisar, all rails lead to Afyonkarahisar. Our youth, Erenler and Karşıyaka It was a problem for our citizens in the neighborhood to come to the city center. We were trying to resolve this issue. Our Mayor and Minister of Transport put together the Afyonkarahisar Rail Transportation System. I sincerely believe that this rail transportation will be very beneficial. This project covers a distance of 500 km. I believe that it will be done quickly within the scope of high speed train. A magnificent and expected investment for Afyon. As MPs, we followed closely, and we will continue to do so. Good luck for our Afyonkarahisar.” he said.
After the speeches, the groundbreaking program started. Making a short speech here, our Governor Assoc. Dr. Kübra Güran Yiğitbaşı said, “The project is very important so that more than 40 thousand university students can contact the center with our cultural texture and tradesmen more easily. Rail systems are projects that will greatly increase the comfort of the city. It will accelerate the travel of both domestic and foreign tourists from one place to another in terms of comfort and time saving. I wish the best for our city. I would like to thank our Minister of Transport and our esteemed Mayor for their efforts. May he grant it to be completed with goodness.” he started to lay the foundation.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
AFRAY Line is an urban rail transportation system with a length of approximately 7,5 km, starting from Ali Çetinkaya station and ending in Afyon Kocatepe University (AKU), Ahmet Necdet Sezer campus. When the project is completed, 6 passenger stations, 6 pedestrian overpasses and 4 highway crossings will be put into service. When completed, an easy and effective transportation line will be provided between the university, which has approximately 50 thousand students, and the city center. located on the line Karşıyaka Nearly 15 thousand citizens residing in Neighborhood and Erenler neighborhoods will be transported to the city center. Access to Gazlıgöl Thermal Region and Phrygian Valleys, which are located in the north of the university and have great importance in terms of city tourism, will be facilitated. Public transportation capacity will be increased at a point closer to the organized industries of the city.
Stations to be put into service along the route;
Karşıyaka-1 Station
Battalgazi Station
Uniyurt Station
University-1 Station
University-2 Station
Karşıyaka-2 Station