Excavation works of Eurasia Tunnel Project (İstanbul Strait Road Tube Crossing Project) has been started on Saturday 19th April 2014, in Haydarpaşa Site with the participation of The Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and The Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications of Turkey Lütfi Elvan. 

Also, Former Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications of Turkey Binali Yıldırım, General Director of Infrastructure Investments Metin Tahan, General Director of Turkish State Railways (TCDD) Süeyman Karaman, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Lee Sangkyu, Yapı Merkezi Holding Chairman Ersin Arıoğlu, Yapı Merkezi Construction and Industry Inc. Board Member and  ATAŞ (Avrasya Tüneli İşletme İnşaat ve Yatırım A.Ş. / The contractor of the Eurasia Tunnel) Chairman Başar Arıoğlu, ATAŞ CEO and SK Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. Senior Vice President Seok Jae Seo, Yapı Merkezi Construction and Industry Inc. Board Member Erdem Arıoğlu, Yapı Merkezi Construction and Industry Inc. CEO Özge Arıoğlu, Eurasia Tunnel Project Manager Naim İşli, Yapı Merkezi Group Companies General Directors, employees of Yapı Merkezi, ATAŞ, SK E&C, YMSKJV, site and representatives of project sponsors attended the ceremony. 

The ceremony started with Yapı Merkezi Construction and Industry Inc. Board Member Başar Arıoğlu’s speech. After Arıoğlu’s speech, Former Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications of Turkey Binali Yıldırım and Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications of Turkey Lütfi Elvan and finally The Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave speeches. Yapı Merkezi Holding Chairman Ersin Arıoğlu presented a memory plaque to the Prime Minister Erdoğan. 

After speeches, committee made an inspection visit to TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine/specially designed for the project) and Prime Minister Erdoğan pressed the button and started the excavation works.

We wish lots of success to our colleagues.