One of the main obstacles that was liable to delay further work on road no. 431, the lateral road linking Modi'in and Rishon LeZion, was removed last week. Sources inform ''Globes'' that Israel Railways completed the rerouting of the tracks between Lod and Nesharim Junction, paving the way for the road.
Preliminary estimates predict that the roadwork can no be completed by September 2008, three months ahead of schedule. Israel Railways completed the rerouting a week ahead of the date it promised the government, thereby avoiding a possible lawsuit by the road contractor, Africa-Israel Investments Ltd. (TASE:AFIL; Pink Sheets:AFIVY) subsidiary Danya Cebus Ltd. (TASE: DNYA), for another delay in the project, which would have cost tens of millions of shekels.
Six months ago, Israel Railways promised the Ministries of Finance and Transport that it would complete the temporary detour the rail section by the beginning of April. The detour makes it possible to continue building road 431.
"Globes" reported that the original route of road 431 in the Nesharim Junction was changed to allow for the construction of a railway tunnel on the Beersheva line, which would enable the laying of a second track.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 31, 2008
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