The southern regional committee has approved the route for the Tel-Aviv railway line. The route of the 350 kilometer line was first approved a year ago by the cabinet, and the journey time will be just two hours.
The new railway line is part of a plan to make Eilat into a metropolitan area with a population of 150,000 through business, commercial and real estate development.
the plan includes an investment of $3.5 billion by the private sector to set up an international transport, logistics and trade center. As part of the plan a new international airport will be built at Timna, a deep sea port and canal dug inland near the Jordanian border north of the city, and the aforementioned railway link by extending the line south of Nahal Zin with stations at the new port and airport.
Eilat Mayor Meir Yitzhak Halevi said, "I'm happy and excited that the cabinet plan is beginning to take on flesh, and I only hope that the Finance Ministry officials aren't planning to cancel the city's VAT exemption and won't stop the government plan."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 11, 2013
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