ODTÜ Forest road project sparks protests in Ankara

Protests were held in front of the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality regarding the Bilkent-İncek Connection Road Project, which passes through the Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) forest. The project, originally initiated during the term of former mayor Melih Gökçek, has continued under the current administration of Mansur Yavaş with new tenders in 2021 and 2025.

Demonstrators, including the Chamber of City Planners (ŞPO) Ankara Branch, the ODTÜ Alumni Association, and students, argue that the 4.8-kilometer road does not serve the public interest or solve traffic issues. Instead, they claim it serves real estate interests by creating new corridors for high-income residential areas near the new Court of Cassation building and Bilkent City Hospital.

Critics highlighted that the road is planned through a second-degree natural protected site and could damage the ODTÜ forest ecosystem, which is currently on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. They called for the municipality to abandon the project in favor of integrated public transportation policies.