Erdoğan inspects Istanbul's mega projects under construction

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has personally inspected construction works at Istanbul's new bridge over the Bosphorus Strait and the new airport, expected to be operational this summer and next year, respectively.

Erdoğan, who spent last night at his summer residence in Istanbul's Tarabya neighborhood, went straight to the official presidential helicopter landing pad at 02:15 pm along with Energy Minister Berat Albayrak. He inspected the ongoing projects together with Transportation Minister Binali Yıldırım, Environment Minister Fatma Güldemet Sarı, Forest and Water Affairs Minister Veysel Eroğlu and Istanbul deputy mayor Göksel Gümüşdağ.

The helicopter first flew to the new bridge, the widest in the world, still being constructed over the Bosphorus Strait. Erdoğan was briefed on the ongoing construction works.

The new bridge, Yavuz Sultan Selim, will provide another transportation route connecting Europe and Asia. It will stretch over 2 kilometers with about 1.5 of those over water, and will be the longest suspension bridge in the world to carry a rail system. Transportation Minister Binali Yıldırım said it will open in August 2016.

President has then led inspections in the city's new international airport, under construction near Arnavutköy district on the European side.

The airport is very likely to open on October 29, 2017, according to outgoing Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu. Construction began in June 2014. The project is estimated to cost more than 10 billion euro when it is completed. The third airport, built as part of a government plan to transform the city into a regional transport hub, will have a capacity of 150 million passengers per year.