Eyüpsultan residents protest tree cutting during tram construction

Residents of the Eyüpsultan district in Istanbul have held press conferences to protest the cutting of trees during the construction of the Eyüpsultan-Bayrampaşa tram line. While the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) previously announced that 168 trees along the route would be relocated to the Başakşehir Resneli region using a QR code tracking system, locals claim that several trees were cut down overnight without authorization.

Community spokesperson Muhammet Erkam Bülbül stated that witnesses saw five large trees being cut and discarded in the dark, rather than being prepared for transplantation. Residents have expressed concerns regarding the lack of scientific reports, transparency, and information concerning the environmental and historical impact of the project on the district.

Contradicting the municipality's plan for relocation, reports indicate that the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change has not granted permission for the transplantation of these specific plane trees. The project, which aims to connect the Historical Peninsula with Bayrampaşa, has been under construction for approximately two years.