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* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)
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Turkey's Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure has imposed a fine of 6 million 795 thousand 957 Turkish Lira (~508 thousand USD) on the company operating the North Marmara Highway (KMO) on the grounds that the highway was partially closed to traffic for 18 hours during the heavy snowfall and blizzards that hit İstanbul and the Marmara region on January 24.
The KMO, the firm operating the highway, has also released a statement and announced that the fees paid by drivers at the North Marmara Highway's "Section-1: Kınalı-Yassıören", "Section-2: Yassıören-Odayeri" and "Section 7: Habipler-Hasdal" have been paid back to them in order to eliminate the aggrievement faced by the people to some extent.
ICA, the company operating the North Ring Highway Project at the North Marmara Highway, has also made a statement.
Noting that the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and the North Ring Highway constitute the third section of the North Marmara Highway Project (the main route from the toll booths at Kurnaköy to the the toll booths at Odayeri and the linking roads), the company has indicated that it is only responsible for the operation and maintenance of this route.
What happened?
İstanbul was severely affected by heavy snowfall and blizzards on January 24, 2022. While road accidents occurred in some parts of the North Marmara Highway, heavy traffic also affected the transport across the city negatively. As a result of these adverse conditions, the North Marmara Highway Kınalı - Yassıören (Section-1), Yassıören - Odayeri (Section-2) and Habibler - Hasdal (Section-7) were closed to traffic for 18 hours.
On the other hand, this is not the first fine imposed by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure on a firm operating a highway in Turkey.
On the night of December 31, 2021, some drivers had to wait at the toll booths of the Osmangazi Bridge due to a technical failure from 11.50 pm to 12.30 am on January 1, 2022, which caused them to pay the increased fee as the price increase entered into effect on the first day of the year. In order to eliminate the ensuing aggrievement of citizens, the Otoyol Yatırım AŞ (Highway Investment Inc.) was fined 1 million 242 thousand lira.
The owners of 623 vehicles who tried to pass the Osmangazi Bridge between 11.50 pm and 12.30 am were paid back their fees.
About the North Marmara Highway
The Marmara Highway Construction Unincorporated Commercial Enterprise was the contractor responsible for project design and construction of the North Marmara Highway project's six sections.
While the project also comprised the 3rd Bridge, the then Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure and Communication announced the project cost as 2.5 billion USD. An Engineering, Procurement and Construction Contract (EPC) was signed between this enterprise and the companies of Kalyon – Cengiz – Limak – Kolin – RSY – PAK on July 1, 2016.
According to the contract signed by the companies, the main contractor of the European side of the project was Kalyon and that of the Asian side was Limak- Cengiz - Kolin. With the related companies responsible for all areas, including the linking roads, in their areas of responsibility, the companies signed the build-operate-transfer agreement in July 2016.
The North Marmara Highway Enterprise consists of two companies: Avrupa Otoyolu Yatırım ve İşletme A.Ş. (European Highway Investment and Operating Inc.) on the European side and the KMO Anadolu Otoyolu İşletme A.Ş. (Anatolian Highway Operating Inc.) on the Asian side. (TP/SD)
