The Israeli company Al-Trans Engineering Infrastructure Works won the railways' $0.95 million tender for building a pedestrian passage under the railway line between Tel-Aviv University and Bnei-Brak stations near Hadar-Yosef neighborhood of Tel-Aviv, and will link between the National Sport Centre and the Yarkon park (both in Tel-Aviv).
The passage is to be built as a prefabricated structure aside from the track, and then quickly pushed under the track in order to reduce to minimum the disruption to trains' traffic.
Works are to start on July 2009, and expected for completion on March 2010.
Between Friday night of 26.06.09 and Saturday morning of 27.06.09, 100 m of copper communication cable have been stolen from the Kiryat-Gat-Akhuzam section on the line to Beer-Sheva; 2 weeks earlier, 25 m of the same sort of cable have been stolen from the Beer-Sheva-Dvira section of the same line (on both sections, intensive works of realigning and double tracking are being carried out, including laying of the mentioned cables; the metal thieves took the opportunity, that on Saturdays there are no rail traffic neither track works to do the crime; Gazit).
As a result, delays of between 6 and 8 minutes occurred on 3 passenger trains running on the line.
However, unlike the publication in local press and media, trains have not disappeared from monitors; in fact, the controllers have been reported on a technical failure, which means that trains are operated under special regulations created for such cases; railway sources added, that, despite the fact that the mentioned events happened in a 2 weeks difference, are exceptional and very rare.
On Wednesday, 01.07.09, in a discussion which took place at the parliament's (Knesset) Finance Committee, the main participant, Transport and Roads' Safety Minister Mr. Yisrael Katz has presented the ministry's budget for 2009/2010; he warned the railways that if the implementation of railway projects will not be accelerated, he intends to do it by private companies or other governmental companies.
Mr. Katz added that "The railways are the backbone of his development vision, and the ministry intends to invest about $12.5 billion in railways until 2020"; the current long term development budget is $7.5 billion of which more than $0.5 billion are included in the cash budget of the ministry for 2009.
Minister Katz, spoke also about the LRV projects of Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv, which he thinks, are facing severe problems causing delays in implementation; this is particularly true for the Red Line of Tel-Aviv which is stuck due to financing problems; the investment on this line is today estimated at $3.0 billion.
Mr. Katz added that "Israel is the only country in the world (?) without LRV lines in the big cities; it has severe implications and must be rapidly changed".
On 12.07.09, the Ministry of Transport and Roads' Safety, has announced on the appointment of Mr. Yaakov Ganot to the job of the Ministry's General Manager as a successor to Mr. Gideon Siterman who resigned after his party (Kadima) has been defeated in the elections.
The voting passed unanimously.
Before the decision, Prime Minister Netanyahu has warmly praised Mr. Ganot for his contribution in former jobs, adding that he has the confidence that he will continue to contribute in his new job aside of Minister Katz.
Mr. Netanyahu added: "Mr. Katz asked me to appoint Mr. Ganot for the new job already 3 months ago; I've delayed it in order to enable Mr. Eli YIshai, the Minister for Internal Affairs to be settled down in his job; now it is time that Mr. Ganot, who is a real bulldozer will start the job and I wish him success together with the minister".
The Minister of Justice Mr. Yaakov Neeman, mentioned Mr. Ganot's contribution in struggle against roads' accidents adding that "He will definitely contribute to this painful subject in his new job".
Minister Katz announced Mr. Ganot on the appointment.
Mr. Ganot (61), was in the past the Police Northern District Commissioner, a candidate for the Police Inspector General, Inspector General of the Prisons, Emigration Authority General Manager, and the Inspector General of the National Traffic Police which he himself created.
As a counterweight to Minister's Katz statements, 2 seniors in the Finance Ministry, Deputy General Manager of Budgets Mr. Amit Lang, and Deputy Accountant General for Infrastructures Mr. Avi Dor, gave on 13.07.09 an interview to the Israeli Financial newspaper Globes, in which they explained the planned investment in infrastructures; here are the main points under the newspaper's permission:
There is an optimism in the Finance Ministry that the final design approval for continuing the construction of the A1 fast link to Jerusalem, as well as to solve financing of the Tel-Aviv LRV Red Line.
Regarding the Jerusalem LRV, there is a remarkable progress in works and the day of service start is much closer than published by the media.
As a response to the comparison of performance between the National Roads' Company-formerly Public Works Department of Ministry of Labor-and Isra-Rail Co. Ltd.-formerly part of the Ports Authority and before that-Israel State Railways-the 2 specialist say, that unlike National Roads' Company, which even in their former status were a productive body, the Ports Authority was not such one, neither were the railways in the bad budgetary years, and as a result, when money became available and big projects started, the railways had to get used to the new situation, however, the General Manager Mr. Harel is very serious in promoting projects and the 2 interviewed persons fully trust him.
Finally they stated that the Transport Minister's vision for a North/South cross Israel railway line from Metula in the Upper Galilee to Eilat on the Red Sea means that money for the Tel-Aviv LRV Red Line will not be available; they believe that the projects to be carried out are: Tel-Aviv LRV Red Line, BRT lines, additional LRV lines, completion of the A1, railway electrification-at least phase 1, and some other upgrades of the railways; otherwise, the congestion at the Greater Tel-Aviv Area will worsen, while the benefit from the cross Israel line are doubtful.
written by,
Aharon Gazit