Qayoh: Investments expected to develop railway infrastructure by 2030

This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:

This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:

Heba Press. Rabat

The Minister of Transport and Logistics, Abdel Samad Qayuh, indicated on Tuesday that the volume of investments in railway infrastructure and improvement of the quality of services should reach 96 billion dirhams by 2030.

In a presentation he made during a meeting of the Committee on Infrastructure, Energy, Minerals, Environment and Sustainable Development at the House of Representatives, Qayuh explained that these investments include 53 billion of dirhams for the construction of the high-speed rail line between Kenitra and Marrakech. and the development of regional rail transport on the current network, and 29 billion dirhams for the acquisition of 18 high-speed trains and 150 multi-service A trains, and 14 billion dirhams to create or rehabilitate around forty stations and maintain the network efficiency. National Network.

These projects, adds the minister, are part of a broader plan for the development of the rail transport network in Morocco by 2040, which aims to connect 43 Moroccan cities, compared to 23 currently, and 87 percent of the population, compared to 51 percent currently, and connect 12 international airports and 12 ports by rail, compared to one airport and 6 ports at present, in addition to the creation of 300 000 jobs.

Qiuh stressed that the rail connection with the port of Nador in the western Mediterranean constitutes one of the fundamental conditions for the success of this major plan, like Tanger Med, with an investment worth 4, 3 billion dirhams, noting that the pace of progress of works in this project has reached 17 percent, the detailed studies having been completed, the launch of land acquisition procedures.

In a related context, the minister stressed that the increase in the needs of the National Railway Office for vehicles represents an opportunity to develop a railway industrial system that strengthens the independence of the Kingdom in the railway transport sector, stressing the creation and commissioning of a local train manufacturing unit, the development of a system of suppliers and subcontractors, and the establishment of a joint project between the companies the manufacturer and the office to ensure regular and industrial maintenance, and direct the industrial production unit towards the development of exports to African and African countries. European markets.

Concerning the air transport sector, Mr. Qayuh confirmed that investments in airport expansion projects will reach 42 billion dirhams by 2030, as part of a vision of development of the sector based on strengthening the position of Casablanca airport as a gateway connecting Morocco to countries. of the world, by expanding the Royal Air Maroc fleet and keeping pace with the rapid growth of air transport by modernizing and expanding a number of major Moroccan airports, and strengthening domestic transport by supporting and encouraging the opening new lines to break isolation. remote areas.

He mentioned, in this regard, a set of projects relating in particular to the development of Casablanca airport to increase its capacity to 44 million passengers per year, the completion of a new terminal at Rabat airport -Salé can accommodate 4 million passengers per year. , and the development of other large airports such as Tangier, Marrakech, Fez, Tetouan and Agadir to increase its reception capacity.

On the other hand, the government official stressed that the Ministry of Transport and Logistics has launched a strategic study on the creation of a national commercial maritime fleet which responds to the strategic challenges linked to the contribution to the social and economic development of the Morocco, by creating actors capable of competition, achieving economic feasibility and growing regional integration in West Africa – Atlantic Region – Sahel and strengthening national sovereignty in the maritime transport sector.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button