Istanbul City Council Approves Transit Expansion as Budget Debates Heat Up

Istanbul's city council convened on Tuesday for what proved to be one of the more contentious sessions in recent months, as lawmakers debated a 47 billion lira budget amendment and greenlit an ambitious public transport expansion project that will extend Metro Line M6 through Eyüpsultan and into the outer districts by 2029.

The transport initiative, which passed with a narrow 31-to-28 vote, reflects growing pressure from residents in rapidly developing neighbourhoods north of the Golden Horn. Officials estimate the project will reduce commute times by an average of 22 minutes for approximately 180,000 daily users. Construction is set to begin in Q4 2026, with major work anticipated along Cami Kebir Caddesi and surrounding residential areas.

However, enthusiasm for infrastructure spending clashed sharply with concerns raised during Thursday's heated discussion of the Beyoğlu Cultural District Regeneration Plan. Several council members representing older residents expressed alarm over proposals to rezone 8.3 hectares of mixed-use space between İstiklal Caddesi and the Galata neighbourhood, warning that accelerated commercial development could further displace long-term residents already facing steep rental increases.

"We're seeing studio apartments in Galata now commanding 18,000 lira monthly—double the rate from three years ago," noted one council member during debate, reflecting broader anxieties about gentrification across the district. The regeneration proposal was tabled for further review after procedural objections.

In separate developments, the city's environmental committee released a preliminary report on air quality across major thoroughfares, finding that pollution levels on congested routes like the E-5 highway exceed safe standards on 34 percent of measured days. The findings are expected to inform new traffic management protocols being drafted for implementation by autumn.

Meanwhile, Kadıköy District Municipality announced it will pilot a revised waste-sorting programme across 12 neighbourhoods, beginning mid-July. The initiative aims to increase recycling rates from the current 16 percent to 31 percent within 18 months, with households receiving incentive vouchers redeemable at local markets.

City officials also confirmed that next week's session will address a contentious proposal regarding commercial licensing in the Sultanahmet tourist zone, where restaurant and café density has become a persistent neighbourhood complaint. The vote is expected to influence operational hours and noise regulations affecting hundreds of businesses in the historic peninsula.

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