İstanbul Mayor Under Criticism over High Increase in Public Transport Fares

Photo: AA

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İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has come under criticism after increasing public transport fares.

İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality on Monday (February 10) increased the fares by 35 percent. While one-ride fare has increased from 2.60 lira to 3.50 lira, the monthly full-fare has become 275 lira (1 US dollar=6.03 Turkish lira).

The daily total number of users of different public transport means such as buses, ferries, subways is nearly 10 million, according to a 2019 statement by the municipality.

"If the money I spend on public transport is too much for me, great developments must occur for a minimum wage earner to vote for the current administration after this increase," one Twitter user said.

Around 10 million employees out of 28 million earn minimum wage in Turkey, according to a 2019 report by the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey Research Center (DİSK-AR). The minimum wage is currently 2,324 lira a month, less than 400 dollars.

İstanbul's "Tünel," the historic funicular line that links Beyoğlu to Karaköy.

Another Twitter user said, "Monthly Akbil [pass card] is 275 lira. Everything has become fine," referring to İmamoğlu's election slogan, "Everything will be fine."

İmamoğlu from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) won the municipal election in March 2019 and the repeat election later in June, ending the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its predecessors' 25-year tenure in the municipal administration.

Before the elections, İmamoğlu promised to increase the usage of public transport and reduce the student fare, which applies for all students, from primary school to doctorate. The municipality decreased the monthly student fare from 80 lira to 40 lira. With the recent increase, it has become 50 lira.

"Did Mr. İmamoğlu told us, 'We will cheapen public transport.' He did. Did we cast votes? We did. Did my daily life get better after he became the mayor? Or did I pay 26.10 lira for public transport? I paid. There are a promise and a result," another one tweeted.

The state-run Anadolu Agency spoke with people using public transport in various parts of the city. Nafiz Can told the agency, "We didn't expect this from İmamoğlu. It shouldn't be this much. Of course, fares should be increased, the costs are increasing every day, but it shouldn't be this much."

"They promised, 'There won't be increases,' during the election period. Is this, 'Everything will be fine?' The situation of people is clear. I don't accept such a high increase that has been made all of a sudden," Kadir Gül said. (AS/VK)