Türkiye's Housing Development Administration (TOKI) has started excavations for its first residential project of 501 houses in the Afşin district of quake-hit Kahramanmaraş.

With the help of TOKI, affiliated with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, a permanent residence project has been initiated along with temporary shelters for victims in Kahramanmaraş, a city that suffered the deadly impact of twin earthquakes only a few hours apart on Feb. 6.

TOKI aims to fundamentally innovate solutions to problems with regard to housing and urbanization in Türkiye on a national scale and continues its activities to realize adequate quality housing in a healthy urban environment.

Sharing details related to the project, Mayor Afşin Mehmet Fatih Güven said the 501 residences concerned will consist of 24 apartment buildings. The necessary analyses have been carried out, and foundation excavations have been initiated on rock-solid ground.

"It is planned that our permanent TOKI residences will be handed over to earthquake survivors within 180 days. We are healing wounds, and with the unity of our state and nation, we are preparing for a better future in Afşin, even better than in its old days," he underlined.

New city square project

The Afşin Municipality Service Building, which was rendered unusable after the earthquake disaster, is being looked after and renovated by the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, which has also started a city square project for citizens.

After the survey, Güven said: "Our square project, which will be built at the exact spot of our municipality building, is being undertaken by Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality. I would like to thank all the teams, especially the mayor of Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, Mr. Memduh Büyükkılıç, whose continuous support since the aftermath of the disaster has been invaluable. We will return Afşin to its good old days," he remarked.