the Ankara–İstanbul high-speed railway. Construction on the Ankara–Konya high-speed railway began in 2006 and was completed in 2011. Under the strategic aims published by the Transport Ministry while Yıldırım was in office, the government planned over of high speed lines by the year 2023, as part of the AKP's '2023 vision' for the centenary of the Turkish Republic. The 'fast train' services were however met with criticism that the government had refused to listen to scientific concerns, with the project coming under heavy fire following the 2004 Pamukova train derailment despite Yıldırım's insistence that it would not be scrapped. In addition to national rail infrastructure, several suburban and inner-city rail and metro systems were inaugurated by Yıldırım. These included the İstanbul Kabataş–Taksim funicular in 2006, both the İzmir commuter rail (İZBAN) and the Adana Metro in May 2010, the Istanbul Metro lines M3 in 2013, M4 in 2012 and M6 in 2015 and the Ankara Metro lines M3 and M4 in 2014. In 2013, the first phase of the Marmaray project, which links the continents of Europe and Asia via a tunnel under the Bosphorus in İstanbul was opened, due to link and take over the entirety of the İstanbul suburban rail services by 2018. Yıldırım also presided over extensions to the İzmir Metro and İstanbul Metro line M2, which was extended from Şişhane to Yenikapı via the Golden Horn Metro Bridge in 2014. Aviation expansion Yıldırım presided over a new Transport Ministry initiative to vastly upgrade airports that were regarded to be in 'discarded condition'. Under the new scheme, numerous airports were closed for refurbishment. Following improvement work, the Tokat, Kahramanmaraş, Sivas, Gaziantep and Çanakkale airports were re-opened in 2006 while Balıkesir Airport and Kars Harakani Airport was reopened by Yıldırım in 2007. A new international terminal at İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport was opened in 2006, with Yıldırım also present at the opening of a new domestic terminal in 2014. New terminal buildings for Erzincan Airport and Mardin Airport were both opened in 2011 and a new international terminal for Milas–Bodrum Airport was completed in 2012. Major improvements to Balıkesir Koca Seyit Airport and Kastamonu Airport were completed in 2010 and 2013 respectively. Numerous new airports were constructed or completed construction while Yıldırım was Minister. Along with Zonguldak Airport and Şanlıurfa GAP Airport, Yıldırım opened the controversial Hatay Airport in 2007. Amasya Merzifon Airport followed in 2008, while Gazipaşa