City of (il)legal construction
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Milliyet
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 24, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Istanbul's Avcılar district was an agricultural area in 1982. Today the district’s Yeşilkent Village is full of illegal buildings despite those responsible facing five years in prison. Although construction is illegal there is electricity, running water and natural gas in the village
Nearly 26 years ago Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, or İBB, documents portrayed Avcılar as an agricultural area. Today Avcılar’s Yeşilkent Village could be better termed an illegal city.
Many people are taking advantage of the upcoming March 29 local elections by building illegal constructions or additional floors on existing houses.
It is hard to take more than ten strides in the village without coming across earthmovers and other construction equipment. In normal circumstances it is the job of the municipal police to intercede in illegal constructions, yet this time around they can’t do anything but sit back and watch the illicit additions go on.
Illegal constructions started in 1989 in Avcılar’s Yeşilkent Village. The Metropolitan Municipality has photos of the area from the early 80’s when there were no buildings in the village, which is home to nearly 10,000 apartment blocks today, reported daily Milliyet.
While the number of illegal constructions is increasing rapidly, there is also a rising number of luxurious apartments going up in the same area.
The area, which has grown throughout the years and effectively become an illegal city, has electricity, water, natural gas and telephone lines.
A new law in 2004, which allows for up to five years imprisonment for those convicted of illegally building construction, has not stalled the progress of construction in the area.
Village headman Şükrü Baykara confirmed the village did not have a building development scheme. "In 2006 gas lines were brought to the village and in the same year Istanbul Municipality Waterworks, or İSKİ constructed new water pipes," Baykara said.
When he was reminded there was a law forbidding electricity, water, natural gas and telephone connections to unauthorized houses, Baykara said he did not understand why such a law was passed. "Here in this village everyone constructs houses as they wish."
Although it has 650 streets and a population of over 50,000, Yeşilkent does not have any proper infrastructure Baykara said. According to Baykara there are people who want to settle in Yeşilkent Village, despite it being so dirty.
Residents go to the village headman to get hold of an "indigence document" although they all own properties of their own. The document is given to poor people who can prove their financial circumstances with the absence of a residence and car.
"They come to ask for the indigence document but there are no poor people in this village. Each of them has at least three or four flats," Baykara said.
No response from officers
When asked about the extension of the city’s gas pipelines to the illegal settlements of the village, the law department of the Istanbul Natural Gas Distribution Company, or İGDAŞ, said there was no such connection to the illegal apartments in Yeşilkent.
Denying the existence of pipelines to the illegal apartments, İGDAŞ officers said the pipeline went through registered land.
Yet according to Baykara, the houses on at least 50 streets used natural gas for heating.
Building water pipes for an illegal construction is a crime according to the Turkish Criminal Code, or TCK. Mustafa Değirmenci the mayor of Avcılar from the Republican People's Party, or CHP, did not reply to any questions from daily Milliyet.
Reaching Yeşilkent Village requires entering the Esenyurt district and driving down narrow and rough roads for several Kilometers. Once in the village, the quality of the roads improves.
Many people are taking advantage of the upcoming March 29 local elections by building illegal constructions or additional floors on existing houses.
It is hard to take more than ten strides in the village without coming across earthmovers and other construction equipment. In normal circumstances it is the job of the municipal police to intercede in illegal constructions, yet this time around they can’t do anything but sit back and watch the illicit additions go on.
Illegal constructions started in 1989 in Avcılar’s Yeşilkent Village. The Metropolitan Municipality has photos of the area from the early 80’s when there were no buildings in the village, which is home to nearly 10,000 apartment blocks today, reported daily Milliyet.
While the number of illegal constructions is increasing rapidly, there is also a rising number of luxurious apartments going up in the same area.
The area, which has grown throughout the years and effectively become an illegal city, has electricity, water, natural gas and telephone lines.
A new law in 2004, which allows for up to five years imprisonment for those convicted of illegally building construction, has not stalled the progress of construction in the area.
Village headman Şükrü Baykara confirmed the village did not have a building development scheme. "In 2006 gas lines were brought to the village and in the same year Istanbul Municipality Waterworks, or İSKİ constructed new water pipes," Baykara said.
When he was reminded there was a law forbidding electricity, water, natural gas and telephone connections to unauthorized houses, Baykara said he did not understand why such a law was passed. "Here in this village everyone constructs houses as they wish."
Although it has 650 streets and a population of over 50,000, Yeşilkent does not have any proper infrastructure Baykara said. According to Baykara there are people who want to settle in Yeşilkent Village, despite it being so dirty.
Residents go to the village headman to get hold of an "indigence document" although they all own properties of their own. The document is given to poor people who can prove their financial circumstances with the absence of a residence and car.
"They come to ask for the indigence document but there are no poor people in this village. Each of them has at least three or four flats," Baykara said.
No response from officers
When asked about the extension of the city’s gas pipelines to the illegal settlements of the village, the law department of the Istanbul Natural Gas Distribution Company, or İGDAŞ, said there was no such connection to the illegal apartments in Yeşilkent.
Denying the existence of pipelines to the illegal apartments, İGDAŞ officers said the pipeline went through registered land.
Yet according to Baykara, the houses on at least 50 streets used natural gas for heating.
Building water pipes for an illegal construction is a crime according to the Turkish Criminal Code, or TCK. Mustafa Değirmenci the mayor of Avcılar from the Republican People's Party, or CHP, did not reply to any questions from daily Milliyet.
Reaching Yeşilkent Village requires entering the Esenyurt district and driving down narrow and rough roads for several Kilometers. Once in the village, the quality of the roads improves.