Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu made a statement within the framework of the updated Shelter Regulation, emphasizing that the existing transportation and communication networks in Turkey are not limited to daily transport and communication functions but have also become a critical part of the national security and civil protection system. Uraloğlu stated that the current infrastructure has enormous capacity to provide safe shelter and uninterrupted communication in extraordinary situations.
Metro Tunnels: Emergency Shelter for 1.3 Million People
According to Minister Uraloğlu’s statements, there are a total of 687 kilometers of metro tunnels across Turkey. These tunnels have the capacity to provide emergency shelter for approximately 1,374,000 people in exceptional circumstances such as disasters or war. Especially the more than 500 kilometers of metro tunnel network in Istanbul forms a strong shelter infrastructure for the city.
The Minister emphasized that deficiencies in the existing tunnels will be addressed and that the same standards will be applied, and that new metro lines will be planned from the outset as shelters. This strategy aims to utilize urban infrastructure as a multi-purpose security tool.
Enhanced Security in Rail Tunnels
The metro tunnels are not the only infrastructure ready for civil protection use. Minister Uraloğlu also mentioned that railway tunnels can be evaluated as shelters and evacuation corridors when necessary. The volumetric size of double-track railway tunnels is particularly noteworthy.
The Minister explained the physical characteristics of these tunnels with a striking example: “Our double-track railway tunnels, with a useful width of 12.5 meters and a height of 8 meters, are capable of accommodating two M60 tanks side by side, and are even wide enough for an F-16 aircraft to fit.” These large-volume structures can serve critical purposes such as shelter, accommodation, and evacuation in addition to logistical transport.
TÜRKSAT and Data Centers: Digital Security
Uraloğlu elaborated on the digital aspect of the civil protection strategy. He noted that TÜRKSAT’s Satellite Ground Systems Backup Center in Kahramankazan, with its redundant energy and transmission systems, ensures uninterrupted government broadcasts during extraordinary circumstances. When transmission flow is interrupted, the infrastructure can be activated through TÜRKSAT to ensure continuous communication with the satellite.
Additionally, the new data center to be built at TÜRKSAT’s Gölbaşı Campus will serve as a “strategic shelter” for Turkey’s digital data. Even in the event of cyberattacks or communication disruptions, the data stored in this center, with its redundant energy and communication infrastructure, will be kept fully secure, and digital government services, especially e-Government Gateway, can continue uninterrupted under the most difficult conditions.
The multi-purpose use of transportation and communication infrastructure indicates an integrated and future-oriented civil protection strategy aimed at elevating Turkey’s physical and digital security during crisis and disaster management.
