Turkey’s metro tunnels have the capacity to shelter over 1.3 million people
Turkey’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, announced that the country’s existing metro tunnels can provide shelter for approximately 1,374,000 people in emergency situations.
Highlighting the technical features of these infrastructures, Uraloğlu stated: “Our double-track railway tunnels, with a usable width of 12.5 meters and a height of 8 meters, are large enough to allow two M60 tanks to pass side by side and even accommodate an F-16 fighter jet.”
According to the Minister, Turkey has 687 kilometers of metro tunnels nationwide that can serve as secure shelters. In Istanbul alone, more than 500 kilometers of metro tunnels form a robust shelter infrastructure. He emphasized that new metro lines will be designed with shelter functionality from the planning stage, while deficiencies in existing tunnels will be addressed.
Uraloğlu also underlined the critical role of communication infrastructure during crises, noting: “The TÜRKSAT Ground Systems Backup Center in Kahramankazan, equipped with additional energy and transmission systems, ensures that government broadcasts can continue uninterrupted even in emergencies.”
He further announced the new Gölbaşı Data Center project, describing it as a “strategic shelter for Turkey’s digital data.” According to Uraloğlu, government and institutional data will be stored there under full security with redundant energy and communication infrastructure. Even in the event of a cyberattack or communication outage, systems will continue to operate seamlessly under TÜRKSAT’s control. Thus, digital government services—particularly the e-Government Gateway—will remain uninterrupted even under the most challenging conditions.
