News
Unlike the last meetings that were held at the IMM’s Disaster Coordination Center (AKOM), the measures to be taken due to the Covid-19 pandemic were also discussed. This year, a total of 1351 vehicles and construction machinery with 7000 staff in three shifts will take part in winter operations.
During the two-day meetings hosted by AKOM, the final status of the preparations for a smooth winter in Istanbul were evaluated. In the first day of the meetings, directorates and affiliates of the IMM, and on the second day, 39 district municipalities came together and held a meeting to prepare for this year's winter road conditions.
The meeting was attended by the Istanbul Fire Brigade, Road Maintenance and Infrastructure, Support Services, Rail Systems, Police, Mukhtars (Headmen) and Food and Health Departments, AKOM, White Desk, İETT, İSKİ, İGDAŞ, İSTAÇ, İSFALT, Provincial Security Directorate, General Directorate of Highways, related IMM’s affiliates as well as the representatives of other private sector stakeholders of the city.
To ensure the smooth running of winter and the continuation of public life in the normal course, the teams have been deployed at 400 points of intervention in 4,023 kilometers of route network throughout the city.
In order to prevent traffic congestion, a total of 53 crane-rescuers will serve 24 hours a day throughout the city. There will be 33 winter fighting vehicles in order to avoid any problems on the Metrobus route.
A total of 1,351 vehicles and construction machinery with 7,031 staff in three shifts will be taking part in the struggle against winter conditions. 300 pieces of saltbox will be placed in critical locations.
60 critical points will be closely monitored by the Early Warning System for Ice (BEUS) to avoid accidents icy roads. Salt bags (10 thousand tons) will be left to critical points and intersections for citizens' use throughout Istanbul.
In the meetings, it was decided to assist the contact tracing team working in the field during the pandemic in case of disruptions in their transportation due to adverse weather conditions. District municipalities were asked to be sensitive to the support of stray animals. Studies will be carried out by IMM's Veterinary Services Directorate teams for feeding and treatment of stray animals.
During the heavy snowfall, mobile buffets and emergency services of the IMM will serve soup, hot drinks and water to drivers waiting at traffic and for those waiting at piers and roads.
Citizens will be informed through the press on issues such as increasing the importance and directing of public transportation, application of winter tires, and weather warnings.
The combat activities will be carried out under the coordination of AKOM. The snow plows and road opening works of the vehicles will be followed by the existing vehicle tracking system and the vehicles will be directed to other regions if necessary.
Collecting centers were planned for the homeless people living on the street. Police, police, and ambulances will be collected after the health check of the homeless people will be done after they are collected by police, municipality police, and medical teams. District Municipalities will bring homeless citizens identified in their districts to the guesthouses of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
