Director General of Turkish Highways, Cahit Turhan, said Monday that companies who bought specifications for the third bridge to be built at the Istanbul Strait have asked for the postponement of the tender and, as such, the tender may take place at the end of 2011.

The third bridge is a part of the North Marmara Highway Project.

To date, seven companies from Turkey, four companies from Japan, two companies from Russia, and one company from Spain, Austria and Italy, for a total of 16 companies have purchased specifications for the third bridge.

"Companies who have bought the specifications requested that we delay the tender. We do plan to postpone the tender to the end of the year. We aim to have more companies in the tender process so as to increase competitiveness," Turhan said.

AA