Urban Transformation is starting in Çağlayan

The Ortahisar Municipality in Trabzon has taken the first step in the Çağlayan Urban Transformation Project. The opening of the Çağlayan Urban Transformation Information Office in the Çağlayan neighborhood was held with a ceremony.

Ortahisar Mayor Ahmet Kaya said, “In the Çağlayan Urban Transformation, we will not cry; we will make Çağlayan smile together with the right things we will do.”

Today, the first step was taken for the Çağlayan Urban Transformation Project carried out by the Ortahisar Municipality in the Çağlayan neighborhood. The Çağlayan Urban Transformation Project Information Office, where meetings will be held with the rights holders and protocols will be signed, started its services with a ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ortahisar Mayor Ahmet Kaya said, “I am your brother who studied middle school here in 1984; I am a child of this stream, this region. When we were elected as Mayor, we found a Çağlayan Urban Transformation Project in front of us. The previous administration had made some discussions and signed protocols, for which we are grateful. A 17% agreement was made in the first phase. We said, ‘As a child of this region and your brother, we will not leave any work unfinished.’ Because there is indeed a stock of buildings here that needs to be renewed. We are talking about a stock of buildings built 50-60 years ago that have completed their lifespan; if we do not intervene, they may deteriorate in the near future. I am saddened to see this. Solving this is our duty, and we will not allow anyone to be victimized.”

Mayor Kaya, explaining that Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has adopted the project, said, “We will implement perhaps the most people-oriented, most equitable, most transparent, and consensus-based model among urban transformation practices in Turkey without allowing anyone to be victimized. As you know, there is stagnation in every sector in Turkey today, including the construction sector; these things are not easy. But thank goodness we have Ekrem İmamoğlu behind us like a mountain. I went to Istanbul and discussed this issue with my mayor in person. I explained the project and what we intend to do. He immediately called the General Manager of KİPTAŞ, one of Turkey’s largest organizations, and said, ‘Quickly send a team to Trabzon, let them do the inspections, and let’s start.'”

Emphasizing that they will carry out the project with an understanding based on consensus, transparency, and justice, Mayor Kaya stated, “As the municipal administration, we are putting our hands under the stone. We are taking this step with the assurance of KİPTAŞ. In this sense, we expect support from all of you. Because this is a job that will be done together. We will achieve this unity through the office we have opened here. We want to finalize the remaining discussions as soon as possible and start the project. Of course, before starting the project, we also want to hear your opinions and suggestions. Because the foundation of the urban transformation project we will undertake is public satisfaction. The satisfaction of the citizens living in Çağlayan is a priority for us. In addition, there is consensus, there is transparency; every step we take will be transparent. You will be informed about every application we make and every step we take as rights holders. We said ‘consensus,’ we said ‘transparency,’ and we say ‘justice.’ We will do just work; may God not grant us to do unjust work. We will carry out this work without depriving anyone of their rights, delivering rights properly.”

Promising that no one will be victimized, Mayor Kaya said, “There are promises made here before; we stand behind whatever has been said. Our former mayor said, ‘A square meter will be given for each square meter,’ and we stand behind this, signing it. This is our application. In urban transformations carried out nationwide, they say, ‘I will build 50 square meters for those with a 100 square meter structure, and you will pay for the rest,’ but it is not like that here; we have a commitment of 100 square meters for those with a 100 square meter structure. We will fulfill this by putting it under a protocol. Our hearts do not allow anyone to be victimized. We will proceed by continuously consulting with you.