233 major infrastructure projects costing NIS 230 billion are due to undergo construction in Israel between 2020 and 2024 according to the annual national infrastructure plans report published today by the Prime Minister's Office.
The report lists all the projects costing more than NIS 100 million that have been examined for being economically worthwhile and then given budgetary approval by the cabinet.
A comparison of the budgets in 2019 to the report published today shows that construction of the Purple Line of the Tel Aviv light rail has jumped by NIS 2.4 billion to NIS 11 billion. The Purple Line is scheduled to begin operating in 2025 from Tel Aviv Central Savidor station to Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer and then via a northern branch line to Givat Shmuel and a southern branch line to Bnei Atarot junction.
The budget for the Red Line has increased by NIS 400 million to NIS 16.5 billion. Completion of the Red Line has been delayed by one year until the end of 2022.
Two other projects which have seen budgets increase are the fourth railway track on the Ayalon highway in Tel Aviv (a rise of NIS 1.3 billion) and Road 16, the new entrance highway to Jerusalem from Motza to Mount Herzl (a rise of NIS 300 million).
61% of the budget for major infrastructure projects is being invested in transport projects. The biggest projects are the Tel Aviv light rail, the Jerusalem light rail, the Haifa-Nazareth light rail, the electrification of Israel Railways network, and the fourth track on the Ayalon highway (which involves redirecting the Ayalon stream). NIS 107 billion will be invested in mass public transportation projects compared with NIS 21 billion in new highways. Another major infrastructure project is the transfer of IDF bases from the center of the country to the Negev. There are also major energy and water infrastructure projects.
Of the 233 projects listed, 123 are already under construction and 110 are still awaiting final approval.
Among new projects added to the list this year are 12 by the Israel Airports Authority and two new desalination plants (Sorek B and the Western Galilee).
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on August 13, 2020 © Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2020