After three years of planning work, Israel's inter-ministerial committee on internal affairs, services and planning today approved two of the four plans for the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Metro: M1 southern section, and the M3 line.
The Tel Aviv Metropolitan Metro, which is being developed by NTA Metropolitan Mass Transit System Ltd. and the Israel Planning Administration, has four lines with 109 stations extending over 145 kilometers.
The M1 South line extends over 45 kilometers and has 31 stations. Two branch lines in the south will connect Rehovot/Ness Ziona and Lod/Beer Yaakov with Rishon Lezion, Holon, central Tel Aviv, and Ramat Hasharon (Glilot). The line will eventually run further north with branches to Herzliya and Kfar Saba with the plan to be approved after objection from those two municipalities are overcome. There are also objections to the M2 plan.
The M3 plan which has been approved involves a 39 kilometer line with 25 stations connecting to the M1 and M2 lines and other mass-transit routes. The line runs in a semi-circle from Bat Yam, Holon, Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan to Petah Tikva, Or Yehuda, Ramat Hasharon and Herzliya with a branch line to Ben Gurion airport.
NTA said that alongside the statutory planning, the company is readying for the construction process through the issuing of work tenders.
In the 2022 budget, the government has allocated NIS 6 billion for what will be Israel's largest ever transport infrastructure project. In 2023, NTA will begin progress towards works including requisitioning properties and clearing land.
Minister of Interior Ayelet Shaked said that she soon plans presenting more Metro lines for approval by the inter-ministerial committee.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on May 22, 2022.
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