The proposed 45km long canal would be a sea level link between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara

A Turkish minister has said the country is determined to build a controversial canal to alleviate congestion pressure on the famed Bosphorous.

Reuters news agency quoted the Transport and Infrastructure Minister, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, as saying that although the Kanal Istanbul project was not on the day’s agenda, ‘when the day comes, the right financing is found, we will definitely do it’.