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The Bosphorus And The Canal Istanbul Project, Turkey

For the Canal (Kanal) Istanbul project, an artificial 45-kilometer canal is to be built parallel to the Bosphorus, to the west of the city, linking the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. According to government sources, the intention is to relieve the heavy shipping traffic on the Bosporus and to avoid accidents. The construction project has been on the agenda since 2011 and is backed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. But objections rise from the opposition parties, the mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu and the public, due to the harm the project will cause on the nature of the area. The Bosphorus in Istanbul seen on January 13, 2020. (Photo by Erhan Demirtas/NurPhoto)

Photo ID	#5316962
Date Taken	11 January 2020
Location	N/A
Photographer	Erhan Demirtas/NurPhoto
Category	Human Interest
Copyright	© 2026 NurPhoto - Erhan Demirtas/NurPhoto

Istanbul project construction project Bosphorus mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu Black Sea Sea of Marmara kilometer canal opposition parties intention Bosporus public Kanal heavy shipping traffic Erhan Demirtas NurPhoto President Recep Tayyip Erdogan city government sources objections west nature agenda harm area accidents Bridge Suspension bridge sky water outdoor lake No People