Istanbul approves mega-tunnel

expat network

Istanbul approves mega-tunnel

Istanbul’s municipal authority has given the go-ahead for a three-level, sub-sea mega tunnel project.

The estimated US$3.5bn scheme was recently announced by Turkey’s prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu

The mega-project will have a three-storey, sub-sea tunnel under Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait, which will connect the city’s two sides with one railway and two highways.

The project was the main issue on the municipal council’s agenda this week and was approved after an hour-long discussion.

Abubekir Taşyürek, deputy chairman of political party AKP, said that the party was proud of the project, emphasising its compatibility with legal obligations and the environment. “There is no legal problem regarding the project,” said Taşyürek. “We did not rush anything. The Ministry of Transport & Communications, the Environment and Urban Planning Ministry, and experts from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality have been working on this project for months. It is also an environmentally-friendly project. According to calculations, fuel oil consumption will decrease by roughly 54 million litres due to the project and carbon emissions will decrease by 175t per year. The project will not damage the city’s silhouette either.”

Source: Construction Index

Link: http://tinyurl.com/lnxb7ny

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.