As part of precautions ahead of New Year's Eve, some roads in Istanbul's central Beyoğlu, Beşiktaş, Şişli and Kadıköy districts are set to be closed for traffic on Sunday, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
According to the statement from the Provincial Police Department, starting from 2 p.m. Sunday (11 a.m. GMT), Istiklal Street in Beyoğlu and the roads leading to this avenue, Tak-ı Zafer and Sıraselviler streets, the intersection of Hocazade Street to Taksim Square direction, and the intersection of Ömer Hayyam Street and Hamalbaşı Street will be closed to traffic.
Drivers coming from Galata Bridge will be directed toward Beşiktaş via Kemeraltı, Meclis-i Mebusan, and Dolmabahçe avenues, while drivers coming from Unkapanı Bridge will be directed through Refik Saydam Street and Tarlabaşı Boulevard to Divan Intersection and Cumhuriyet Street.
In the Şişli area, commencing from 2 p.m. local time, Mim Kemal Öke Street and the intersection of Vali Konağı Street, as well as the turns on Abdi Ipekçi Street between Abdi Ipekçi and Bostan, Atiye, Altın and Professor Dr. Fevzi Fevzioğlu streets, will be closed to traffic.
Drivers will be redirected to Teşvikiye, Valikonağı, Rumeli, Bayıldım, Halaskargazi and Cumhuriyet avenues.
In the Beşiktaş district, similarly starting from 2 p.m., the Kuruçeşme direction from the intersection of Kuruçeşme neighborhood's Kireçhane Street and Çağrı Street to the intersection of Alay Emini Street will be closed to traffic, and traffic flow will be directed toward Ulus neighborhood.
In Kadıköy, on the city's Anatolian side starting from 6 p.m., the intersection of Söğütlüçeşme Street and Bestekar Dilhayat Street in Osmanağa neighborhood will be closed to traffic, as well as the intersection of General Asım Gündüz Street and Kırtasiyeci St., and the intersection of Gen. Asım Gündüz St. and Serasker St.
Similarly, some roads in Caferağa, Rıhtım and Caddebostan neighborhoods will be closed to traffic.
Earlier this week Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the necessary security precautions were undertaken to welcome the arrival of the new year and detailed the number of personnel to be deployed through a post on his social media account on the X platform, formerly Twitter.