Minister Uraloğlu: We have built a steel net the size of 794 football fields

In a written statement, Minister Uraloğlu assessed the measures taken against disasters such as floods, landslides, rockfalls, and avalanches on the road network under the responsibility of the General Directorate of Highways, as well as the post-disaster efforts. Uraloğlu emphasized that they are acting with great care to ensure safe transportation throughout Türkiye. Emphasizing that highway teams are working 24/7 on a duty-free basis to address potential incidents, Uraloğlu said, "We provide uninterrupted service through 18 regional directorates, 123 branch offices, 16 tunnel maintenance operations, 25 highway maintenance operations, and 16 build-operate-transfer maintenance operations across the country."

'RISK ASSESSMENTS WERE MADE AT 1446 POINTS'

Uraloğlu, providing information about the Highway Road Network Risk Map prepared to identify disaster risks, said, "We identified risky areas at 1,446 points covering a 1,519-kilometer stretch. We combined field observations with technical data and transferred them to the Image-Based Information Management System. This enabled us to track risky areas instantly on the map, allowing us to quickly take the necessary precautions."

Minister Uraloğlu, noting that they are continuously increasing safety measures on roads with structures such as steel mesh systems, retaining walls, and avalanche tunnels, said, "We are also expanding the use of steel mesh on highways to ensure the safety of life and property on steep and precipitous slopes. In the first half of 2025, we installed 37,400 square meters of steel mesh, bringing the total number of steel mesh applications nationwide to approximately 5.7 million square meters. Thus, we have built a steel mesh equivalent to the size of 794 football fields across the country."

Minister Uraloğlu stated that they are continuing their project work to make identified risky areas safer, adding, "We will also implement 58 separate intervention projects to create a stronger highway infrastructure against disasters."

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