Work on this Yerkoy - Sivas section of the project began in 2008 with a consortium of China Major Bridge Engineering, Cengiz, Limak, Kolin awarded a $US 839m contract for groundworks. A Lira 398m ($US contract for groundworks on the km Kirikkale -Yerkoy section was awarded to a consortium of Kolin, Cengiz, Limak and Mapa in January 2016 while Kolin Construction also won the Lira 247.7m groundwork contract for the Kırıkkale - Yerköy section.

The project will also include the construction of 49 tunnels and is expected to cost Liras 9bn ($US 2.25bn), according to transport, maritime affairs and communication minister, Mr Ahmet Arslan, who attended the tracklaying ceremony along with deputy prime minister, Mr Bekir Bozdaĝ, education minister, Mr Ismet Yilmaz, and Yozgat governor, Mr Kemal Yurtnaç.

The new line will reduce journey times between Ankara and Sivas to two hours compared with 12 hours at present, and the government says expects it construction to conclude in 2019.