Even as the digging of tunnels for the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem high-speed rail link is mired in dispute with environmental organizations, Israel Railways is pursuing work on other sections of the line. Sources inform ''Globes'' that it plans to publish tenders for construction of four-kilometer Section D of the line between Mevasseret Zion and Jerusalem in a few weeks.
Israel Railways has already begun talks with the Ministries of Finance and Transport for the budget authorization needed for publishing the tender. Section D will cost an estimated NIS 1.2-1.3 billion, and will take three years to build.
Section D will run from Mevasseret Zion through Emek Arazim to the train station at Binanyei Ha'Ooma across from the Central Bus Station at the western entrance to Jerusalem. The section will include two bridges with a total length of 1.1 kilometers and an 800-meter tunnel. The height of the bridges will be 95 meters over Emek Arazim, and the tunnel will run underneath Road 1 (the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem Highway) to Binanyei Ha'Ooma.
Due to the engineering complexity of the project, Israel Railways may divide the work among different contractors.
Israel Railways also announced that it plans to publish the tender for Section B of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem high-speed rail link between Emek Ayalon and Sha'ar Hagay at the entrance to the Judean Mountains, despite objections by environmental organizations. The cost of Section B is estimated at NIS 700 million.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 24, 2009
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2009