The canal will provide an alternative route to the Bosphorus, one of the world’s busiest waterways, which divides the city of Istanbul.
Erdogan claims the project will save Istanbul from potential catastrophe posed by supertankers passing its shores.
But there is a growing groundswell against the project, with fears of social and ecological disaster.
Correspondent Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul in this first report of a two-part series.
Click the 'play' button above to listen to the audio report, or subscribe to our podcast by searching 'RFI international report'
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