Turkish President Erdogan inaugurates 1915 Canakkale Bridge

The 1915 Canakkale Bridge, which is the world's largest suspension bridge over Dardanelles Strait, was inaugurated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The 1915 Canakkale Bridge will connect Turkey's European and Asian shores. It was built by Turkish and South Korean companies with an investment of $2.8 billion. It is one of the significant infrastructure projects that have been prioritised by Erdogan since his AK Party first came to power in 2002, comprising a new airport in Istanbul, rail and road tunnels beneath the Bosphorus Strait, and a bridge over it. It has the longest main span — the distance between the two towers — of any suspension bridge in the world. Reports suggest that it is the sixth tallest bridge in the world, exceeding the Sutong Bridge in China and the Stonecutters Bridge in Hong Kong. The bridge is named after the Battle of Çanakkale during World War I. It was one of Turkey’s most significant victories, as the Ottoman Empire successfully fended off an attempt by the allied forces of Great Britain and France to take control of the Turkish Straits. The bridge has been painted red and white to symbolise the Turkish flag. As per Adil Karaismailoglu, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, the number 1915 in the bridge's name and the bridge's height at 318 m represent the Canakkale Naval Victory on March 18, 1915. Until now, vehicles traversing between Anatolia and the Gallipoli peninsula had to cross the Dardanelles in a one-hour ferry journey, which included a waiting time of nearly five hours. The journey will currently take approximately six minutes. These works will continue to render profit for the state for many years, Erdogan told the media. These projects have a huge share in putting their country ahead in investment, workforce and exports. Image Source Also read: Ramban authority asks NHAI for safety certificate of Chenab bridge