The wait for the light rail continues: Petah Tikva Mayor Rami Greenberg posted on Facebook today (Thursday) in which he wrote that the light rail's red line will open in the coming month, and final coordination is currently being made ahead of the opening. However, NTA, which is responsible for the red line in Gush Dan, was quick to deny this claim.
"This morning a meeting was held with the CEO of NTA and the CEO of Tevel, the company that will actually operate the light rail. The goal: final coordination towards full operation and boarding passengers as early as next month - July 2023. Good news," Greenberg's post read.
Rami Greenberg, Mayor of Petah Tikva, Photo: Yehoshua Yosef
NTA said in response: "Following Rami Greenberg's post by Petah Tikva Mayor Rami Greenberg, NTA wishes to clarify that, contrary to reports, an official opening date for the red line has not yet been set, and that the issue of operating safety approval is still on the agenda. The opening date will be determined in coordination with the Ministry of Transport and after receiving all the required approvals. NTA is making every possible effort to expedite the opening."
The Transportation Ministry said this morning that safety permits have not yet been received from the German company and that they must wait to receive them before setting a date for the opening of the Red Line.
Despite the severe transportation crisis in the Dan region, the opening of the light rail's red line has been delayed several times in recent years. Work on the Red Line began already in 2015 with the explosion of the Maariv Bridge, since the opening date was postponed from the end of October in 2021 to November 2022. After that, the plan was to open the line in the first quarter of the year, which also did not happen. Transportation Minister Miri Regev set another date – the opening of the line on Independence Day – which was also not implemented.
Tour of the light rail complex in Tel Aviv Correspondent: Sonia Goroditsky // Photo: Moshe Ben-Simhon
Now, according to various sources working on the Red Line, it seems that most of the technical problems that accompanied the construction of the Red Line have been resolved, and all that remains is to wait for the official opening date to be set. Moreover, the few remaining malfunctions do not pose a danger to human life.
Needless to say, the opening of the Red Line is essential for easing congestion on the roads of the Dan region, which is crying out for a transportation solution. The Red Line connects five municipalities: Petah Tikva, Bnei Brak, Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv-Yafo and Bat Yam. The line has 34 stations, ten of which are underground. The length of the line is 24 km, about half of which passes through an underground tunnel.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us