TURKEY: The Municipality of Istanbul has awarded a joint venture led by Italian firm Astaldi a €751m contract for civil, electromechanical and signalling works on the Kadiköy - Kartal light metro line.

The contract covers the construction of a 20 km double-track underground line on the Asian side of the city, with 16 stations. Work will start in the second half of this year for completion in 2011. Astaldi has a €315m share of the project, which will be undertaken with local partners Makyol and Gülermak.