In Üsküdar, one of the busiest spots in Istanbul, the endless infrastructure and road works in the historical Old Court Street have bothered the citizens. The works that the residents of the street and the shopkeepers complain about are due to the slowness of the municipality. Due to the ongoing construction situation on the street for over a year and a half, dust is not missing from the street and there is a serious environmental pollution.
The works that undermined the work of the old Court Street tradesmen started with infrastructure work last year. The infrastructure work on the street was finished, but the Üsküdar Municipality could not fulfill its task of laying the paving stone and cornerstone that fell on it. The people living on the street where Fatih Sultan Mehmet Khan was tried and the tomb of Aziz Mahmut Hüdai are located, demand that the authorities end the work as soon as possible.
“WORKS ON THE STREET BRING OUR BUSINESS TO THE BANKRUPTCY POINT”
Kamil İlbeş, who runs a market on Old Court Street, stated that they were on the verge of bankruptcy due to the infrastructure and road works on the street and said, “Works on the street brought our work to the point of bankruptcy. Not only does the customer come, but our shop is always covered in dirt, dust and mud. The cost of this roadwork to our market exceeded the cost of a car. I have to wipe the shelves many times during the day, even though the door of our shop is closed, dust gets in.”
LET OUR STREET RESTORE
İrfan Çelik, who lives on the street, stated that the municipality deliberately took things slowly and said, “It has been a year and a half, but this is how our street is. We are unable to open doors and windows at home. The municipality did not even demolish this place so that the street would be free of dust and mud. They just poured concrete and left. There is the tomb of Aziz Mahmud Hüdai here and therefore it is a very busy street. However, the municipality does not see this and ignores our applications. Here is the court where Fatih Sultan Mehmet Khan was tried and used as the museum. Many visitors come to the museum, but they always go in the dust. They don't have any respect for the citizens, at least, they should have respect for Aziz Mahmud Hüdai and the historical court, and they should come and restore our street.”
WE APPLIED TO THE MUNICIPALITY MANY TIMES
Nihat Koç, one of the street tradesmen, said, “We are tired of this state of the street. All the houses and businesses on the street were left in dust and dirt. We, as street residents, have cleaned this street many times, but the municipality has forgotten this place. There was also a work on our upper street, so they weren't laying paving stones here. They take things slowly there too. Anyway, it will take a year for the work on the upper street to be completed. Then we will have lived in dust and dirt on this street for two years? I have applied to the district municipality dozens of times, but no one has responded. The paving stone and cornerstone laying work here is under the responsibility of the Üsküdar Municipality, but they do not do their work.”