Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu made a statement within the framework of the updated Shelter Regulation, emphasizing that the current transportation and communication networks in Turkey are not limited to daily mobility and communication functions, but have also become a critical part of the national security and civil protection system. Uraloğlu stated that the existing 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, Turkey has a total of 687 kilometers of metro tunnels. These tunnels are capable of providing emergency shelter for approximately 1,374,000 people in extraordinary circumstances such as disasters or wars. Especially the >500-kilometer-long metro network in Istanbul creates a robust shelter infrastructure for the city.
The Minister highlighted that deficiencies in current tunnels will be addressed through similar regulations and newly planned metro lines will be considered as shelter projects from the planning stage. This strategy aims to utilize urban infrastructure as a versatile security tool.
Enhanced Security in Rail Tunnels
The metro tunnels are not the only infrastructure prepared for civil protection use. Uraloğlu noted that railway tunnels can also serve as shelter and evacuation corridors when needed. The volumetric size of double-track railway tunnels is particularly noteworthy.
The Minister explained the physical features of these tunnels with a striking example: “Our double-track railway tunnels, with a beneficial width of 12.5 meters and a height of 8 meters, can allow the passage of two M60 tanks side by side, and are even wide enough to accommodate an F-16 fighter jet. These high-capacity structures can serve not only logistical transportation but also critical purposes such as shelter, accommodation, and evacuation in special situations.”
TÜRKŞAT and Data Centers: Digital Security
Uraloğlu also detailed the digital aspect of the civil protection strategy. He stated that TÜRKŞAT’s Satellite Ground Systems Backup Center in Kahramankazan, with its redundant energy and transmission systems, ensures uninterrupted broadcasts by the state during extraordinary situations. When the broadcast flow is interrupted, transmission can be seamlessly continued through the TÜRKŞAT infrastructure to the satellite.
Additionally, a new data center to be built at TÜRKŞAT’s Gölbaşı Campus will act as a “strategic shelter” for Turkey’s digital data. Even in cases of cyber-attacks or communication interruptions, the backed-up energy and communication infrastructure will safeguard government and institutional data stored at this center, allowing digital government services such as e-Government Gateway to continue without interruption under the most challenging conditions.
The multi-purpose use of transportation and communication infrastructure points to an integrated and forward-looking civil protection strategy aimed at elevating Turkey’s physical and digital security in crisis and disaster management.
