Morocco: High Speed Train Delayed Till 2017

Marrakech- The delay of Tangier-Casablanca high-speed train (TGV) is costing Morocco more than was expected.

The TGV was originally scheduled to be finished in 2015, but it was recently postponed to late 2016. The delay does not stop there: it is now being reported that it will not be effective by even 2017.

According to Telquel, unexpected difficulties involving o land expropriation procedures are causing the delay. The program has already gone over its MAD 25 billion budget, which was meant to last the entire project.

The Moroccan government is a strong advocate of the TGV. The government sees the project as an important step on the path to modernity. On the contrary, the movement “Stop TGV” heavily criticizes the project, and believes that the TGV budget might be better spent building thousands of schools and hospitals and buildings more highways.

The French company Alstom, in charge of implementing the project, will only provide the TGV trains once it has received the money in advance. The company is enacting this policy because it did not receive all of its money after collaborating with Casa Tramway. Besides these difficulties, the TGV project budget is being strained by landowners who seek to be better compensated.

Meanwhile, the National Railways (ONCF) must pay for thirteen TGV trains parked in Alstom facilities during the 18-month delay period.

Edited by Timothy Filla