Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum shared images of Türkiye's first rural satellite city, built in Hatay's Kumlu district, on his social media account on March 5.
Modern village homes are being quickly built in the villages devastated by the Feb. 6 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş. Under the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change's Directorate of Building Affairs, Türkiye’s first rural satellite city has been established in the Cumhuriyet neighborhood of Kumlu, along with the neighboring Reyhanlı and Antakya districts.
The houses, built with reinforced concrete and steel frames, range from 100 to 125 square meters, consisting of three-bedroom units. Infrastructure, ground improvements and roads in the satellite city are also rapidly being completed. Additionally, spaces for a school, health center and places of worship have been designated in the area.
"Citizens are happy, and so are we," Kurum said.
He shared images of the village homes with the message: "In Hatay Kumlu, as our citizens requested, we merged 16 neighborhoods and established our rural satellite city. With the Directorate of Building Affairs, we have built 692 village homes that are in harmony with the natural environment and local architecture. Our citizens are happy, and so are we."
Creating horizontal and single-story spaces Ismail Ceylan, Hatay's provincial director of environment, urbanization and climate change, stated that with the satellite city, citizens living in rural areas can lead their lives in more social and comfortable environments.
"The satellite city consists of structures that are not high-rise but horizontal and single-story, aiming to create comfortable living spaces," Ceylan added.
Reşit Duman, president of the Kumlu District Muhtarlar Association, expressed that citizens are encouraged as they see the work progressing rapidly, saying: "After the earthquake, some of Hatay's citizens had moved outside the city. Now, they have started to return. The population of our district is growing. A culture of living in a communal area is developing. The concept of a site is evolving. This project will be an example for Türkiye. Through this, they will work hand in hand with the state, together in solidarity. This project is much more beautiful than we thought and imagined. We are seeing that as we live it."
Muhtar Ahmet Güngör also drew attention to the solidity of the buildings, saying: "Today, 18 tons of iron are used in a single foundation. This city is waiting for a very bright future. If history were to write about these places, I wouldn't believe it. We wouldn't have accepted it even if it had come to us because our pasture land was inherited from our ancestors. But once the state intervened, it turned out very differently. We encountered a perfect result. This place has completely turned into a village city. Now, Kumlu and we are brothers. We have a father behind us, a state behind us and a flag behind us. There are people who haven't forgotten us."
One of the homeowners, Mehmet Çağlar, stated: "When we first came and saw the houses, we couldn't believe it. We said, 'Will they really give these houses to us?' We thank our government, and it has been done and completed."
To date, 32,260 village houses have been completed in the earthquake zone. The goal is to deliver 62,817 village houses by the end of 2025. In Hatay, 5,554 village houses have been delivered to homeowners, and this number will rise to 10,763 by the end of the year.
