94% of the public support the construction of a railway to Eilat - according to a survey conducted by the Eilat Economic Company by Direct Falls.
84% of respondents said they were "very supportive" and 10% answered "very supportive".
77% of respondents indicated that the project to build the railway to Eilat has strategic national significance, compared to 23% who answered that if there is no economic justification, they prefer the government to invest in other transport projects.
The mayor of Eilat, Eli Lankri, told "Israel Today": "We are at a point in time according to which the planning of the train and the statutory process, which was stopped for a certain period, are renewed. Fortunately, we reached agreements with the Minister of Finance and Minister of Transport "There will be a restart of the planning committee and all the parties who are supposed to start the plan back. My goal is to try to complete the planning in a year to a year and a half, and be ready for the tender for the train."
Eli Lankri, Photo: Yehuda Ben Itach
According to Lankri, "We have been talking about a train to Eilat since the city was founded. Today we are at a point in time where NIS 100 million has already been invested, and progressed with the railway from Be'er Sheva and south towards Dimona. Of course there are other problems, "The statutory procedure is fast, and to reach a situation where the government approves a tender. The railway project is true not only for Eilat but also for the Negev, the Arava and the whole of Israel."
Regarding the impact on travel costs to Eilat, Lankri said: "The train is the safest means of transportation. Instead of getting to Eilat in four to five hours by road, it is two hours and ten minutes. The price should also be equal for everyone.
The Ministry of Transportation stated: "The ministry is promoting several initiatives in the field. Regarding the continued planning of the train, the issue is still under examination."
The Planning Administration stated: "The cost of the train to Eilat was estimated a few tens of billions of shekels a few years ago. Therefore, this is not a plan intended for immediate implementation, it is not included in the five-year plans and has no budget. With adequate safety components, a project for which the required resources have not yet been allocated. "
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