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Photo: Haydarpaşa Solidarity
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The historic Haydarpaşa Train Station in İstanbul's Asian-side district of Kadıköy will reportedly reopen after nearly a decade.
During a demonstration organized by the Haydarpaşa Solidarity on Sunday (December 4), Hasan Bektaş, former head of the United Transport Workers Union (BTS) and Ayşen Dönmez, a former executive of the union, said work is underway to bring trains back to the station.
"We are faced with the first official indication and construction work regarding the Haydarpaşa Station's preserving its quality as a train station and transport function," they said.
"We have learned that high-speed trains will come to the Haydarpaşa Train Station, its back area will be used for the maintenance and repair of the trans, there will be an area where archaeological finds will be exhibited, that is, Haydarpaşa Train Station will be reopened to the public as a public transportation place."
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Opened in 1872, the station had been used for commuter and intercity trains until 2013, when it was closed for the Marmaray project, a 76-kilometer railway linking İstanbul's Asian and European sides.
Becoming fully operational in 2019, Marmaray bypassed the Haydarpaşa station.
Since the station was closed, there have been rumors that it would be turned into a hotel.
Before the elections
BTS İstanbul Branch Chair İsmail Vedat Akbayer told bianet that the authorities are working to reopen the station before the elections scheduled for June 2023.
While there was no official situation, the developments were in this direction, he said and noted that the works have accelerated over the past month.
"Probably they will bring the High-Speed Train here before the elections," he said, adding that the station should be used by not only the high-speed trains but also commuter trains. (HA/VK)
