The Ministry of Transportation is preparing to transport the celebrants to the Rashbi celebration in Meron on Lag B’Omer. The system of public transportation service lines will be operated in accordance with the guidelines of the Hilula Projector and the Israel Police, and in coordination with the Center for Holy Places in the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Northern District and the Traffic Division of the Israel Police.
Over the past few months, there have been many discussions with the revelry professor, retired Zviki Tessler, who was appointed by the Israeli government to include the incident under the Meron Disaster Inquiry Committee – and heads the revelation department, officials at the Ministry of Religious Affairs Meron Lag B’Omer, and establishes the infrastructure of traffic arrangements in the bus and private car parks, together with the Northern District of Israel Police responsible for maintaining public order and the Traffic Division of the police responsible for traffic arrangements on the mountain and roads to it.
During the joint discussions, the Ministry of Transportation, which provides the public relations service to and from the mountain, expressed its emphases and the operational plan that corresponds to the joint work with all the partners for this large and complex event this year.
In light of the interim conclusions of the commission of inquiry, a number of changes have been made to this year’s celebration, with the main emphasis on reaching Mount Meron by all means by booking in advance and in a unified interface that will be activated for the first time this year.
A network of direct bus lines to Meron will be operated from 16 main centers throughout the country: Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, Haifa, Ashdod, Beit Shemesh, Tiberias, Netanya, Modi’in Illit, Netivot, Afula, Kiryat Gat, Ofakim, Elad, Hatzor, Rechasim And Safed and the localities near Meron in the Merom Hagalil Regional Council.
The Ministry of Transportation emphasizes that this year, passengers from the cities of Safed and Tiberias are also required to purchase tickets in advance.
The large operation will involve seven public transportation operators: Netiv Express, Egged, Superbus, Electra Afikim, Dan in the South, and Kavim.
Another change this year will be in the way of commuting back from Mount Meron to various destinations around the country: All public transportation users will be directed to Terminal 1 at the bottom of the mountain for a short trip to Parod parking and from there service lines will travel back to destinations around the country. To Safed and from Terminal 5 to Tiberias.
It should be emphasized that all participants in the event will be required to present the travel card with the specified time as ordered by them – both on the trip to Meron and on the return trip from Meron.
The Ministry of Transportation has allocated more than 300 buses (shuttles) for those arriving at the tomb complex in Meron by private transportation and private car. Those arriving by private shuttle will be directed to the Kahal (private buses) and Elifelet (private car) parking lots, and will travel from there by special shuttle to Meron, with the return trip from Terminal 1A to the Kahal and Elifelet parking lots.
The National Public Transportation Authority in the Ministry of Transportation will operate a special situation room on Mount Meron, in order to provide an immediate response to the management of the event in real time.
The situation room will be staffed at the administrative level of the National Public Transport Authority and representatives of the companies that operate the public transportation, as well as the exit points of the various bus lines and terminals will also be staffed by representatives of the Ministry of Transportation.
The National Public Transport Authority emphasizes that in light of the need to implement the decision to monitor the number of residents on the mountain, under the guidance of the Israel Police Traffic Division, all buses arriving in Meron will enter regulation parking lots on their way to Meron. Determined by the revelry administration.
The mutual guarantee of the immigrants to Meron this year is therefore required in order not to delay the immigrants to Mount Meron on their way to the celebration due to the delay of those who are already staying on the mountain beyond the 4 hours set as the time limit to stay on Mount Meron.
Public transport operators will also intensify the service at Mount Meron in the days before Lag B’Omer, in order to allow those who wish to arrive in the days before the celebration to pray at the Rashbi Zion.
Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, MK Merav Michaeli: “The Ministry of Transportation has made and continues to make great efforts to enable the event to take place in the safest way. As we have done at mass events in recent months, which I am glad have passed successfully, this time too we will allocate the most resources to allow the worshipers to come and return safely. “