At the "Globes" Real Estate Conference in Tel Aviv today, Minister of Transport Israel Katz today set a date, for the first time, for earthworks to begin for the Tel Aviv light rail's Red Line: September 21. "This is the most important solution for public transport. No other transport vehicle can carry 150,000 passengers a day," he said.
Katz added that only 17% of Dan Region residents currently use public transport, compared with 20% nationwide. He said, "The skepticism is great because of the image of the infrastructures industry as unfulfilled promises. This is going to be our test. In this matter, Israel will be a different country in five to seven years."
"It's no big deal that the government took over the Tel Aviv light rail project," said Prime Minister's Office director general Eyal Gabai. "If there is a private contractor, pocketbook issues motivate him, as he sees a large bonus in front of him. The government isn't built to manage projects like this."
Metropolitan Mass Transit System Co. (NTA) chairman Michael Ratzon criticized Gabai for his remarks. "You are the director general of the State of Israel. There is no project that the state cannot undertake. It is inconceivable that the director general of the state should say what you did. Every problem is solvable if you give it some thought. The People of Israel cannot allow itself to wait for the dispute between Gabai and me to be resolved."
The government handed the Tel Aviv light rail project to government-owned NTA, after revoking the franchise of Metro Transport Solutions (MTA).
Israel Railways chairman designate Ori Yogev said that a decision must be made within a year whether to accept a Chinese offer to build a high-speed railway to Eilat, on which trains can travel at 350 kmh, or whether to keep the current plan for a line on which trains can travel at 200-230 kmh. "If we can bring Timna to Ben Gurion Airport in less than two hours, this will be a dramatic revolution, and we might have to be satisfied with it."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 7, 2011
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