NTA’s Red Line of the light rail set to begin operations on August 18
The Ministry of Transportation has announced that the highly anticipated opening of the red line of the light rail will finally take place on August 18. This announcement was made by NTA CEO Haim Glick, who informed Transport Minister Miri Regev that all the necessary approvals regarding the safety and operation of the train have been received. These approvals were provided by independent German companies, and the received summary report stated that the red line is ready for operation. As a result, Minister Regev has ordered the opening of the line on August 18.
The light rail project in Gush Dan has faced numerous delays and discussions in recent years. Earlier this week, we reported that the official safety approval was obtained, marking a significant milestone for the project. There were even discussions about transferring the project from NTA’s hands due to the delays and complications. However, the operation of the Red Line is now set to commence after overcoming these challenges.
Minister Regev had previously announced the removal of the management of the metro from the NTA company, expressing dissatisfaction with the continuous faults that disabled the train. In a previous hearing in February, the Director General of the National Transportation Authority stated that the light rail would be ready to open on Passover, but the Minister granted an extension until Independence Day. There have also been discussions about the possibility of transferring the metro project to another infrastructure company, such as Nativ Israel, although this requires approval from the Treasury.
In a surprising turn of events last month, the mayor of Petah Tikva, Rami Greenberg, announced that the light rail would begin carrying passengers in July. This announcement was not coordinated with the office of Minister Miri Regev, causing surprise among officials. However, now that the necessary approvals have been received and the line is deemed ready for operation, the eagerly awaited opening of the red line is just a few days away.
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