INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
opened Istanbul's new international airport, which his government says will eventually become the world's largest."The new airport will be
the pride of our country and an example to the world," Erdogan said at a lavish opening ceremony featuring several heads of state.At the
inauguration -- which coincided with the 95th anniversary of modern Turkey's founding by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk -- Erdogan also revealed that
the airport would be named "Istanbul"."Istanbul is not only our biggest city but also the most valuable trademark of our country," he
said.The airport, one of a number of mega-projects built under Erdogan's rule, will be little used until next year after construction was
marred by delays and a workers' strike over poor conditions.Erdogan has championed the 10.5-billion euro ($12-billion) project in his bid to
make Istanbul a global travel hub linking Europe, Asia and Africa and turn flag carrier Turkish Airlines into an aviation giant.But the
airport will only offer flights to five destinations until an expanded opening on December 29, from when it is expected to handle up to 90
million passengers a year, rising to up to 200 million when all facilities are completed in 2028.That would be nearly double the 103.9
million passengers moving through the world's current busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson in the US city of Atlanta.The opening ceremony was
attended by several leaders including Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the
International Criminal Court on charges of genocide and war crimes.The first flight from the new facility will be to the capital Ankara on
Wednesday.'Giant'It had been thought the new facility would replace the city's ageing Ataturk Airport, but Erdogan said it would remain in
service, including for events such as air shows, adding that its unused parts would be transformed into a "national park as
Airport will continue to serve with the same name," he added.Erdogan called the new airport a "giant", with officials saying that its 1.4
million-square metre terminal building was eight times larger than Ankara's terminal."Moreover, 80 Eiffel Towers could be constructed with
the steel of 640,000 tonnes used in the construction."When finished in 2028, it will have six runways and two terminals spread over 76
square kilometres (29 square miles)
That would make it three times the size of Ataturk.Authorities say a metro line will be built to link the airport, which is near the Black
Sea coast on the European side of Istanbul, to the city centre 35 kilometres (22 miles) away.Crackdown on striking workersThe airport will
massive projects include a third bridge over the Bosphorus Strait connecting Istanbul's Europe and Asia sides, opened in 2016, and a
environment, and the airport's construction was hit by controversy.Last month, hundreds of workers walked off the job to protest poor
conditions and work-related deaths on the site.Turkish authorities quickly cracked down, arresting hundreds, according to labour unions
Most were released without charge, but around 20 remain in prison.Thirty workers have died on the site since construction began in 2015,
according to Istanbul airport authorities
The unions say the real number is much higher.Construction Union Insaat-Is announced on Twitter that another worker died from a fall on
Sunday, just one day before the inauguration.In his speech, Erdogan thanked the workers.(Except for the headline, this story has not been
edited by TheIndianSubcontinent staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
