The project was suspended in 2016 due to the seismic zone where it is planned.
Rabat – The Municipal Council of the city of Agadir has approved a project to build an aerial tramway system in the coastal city after a four-year suspension. Planners had put the project on hold due to fears over the active seismic nature of the area.
The first section of the tramway system will link the Tladi area and the Kasbah of Agadir Oufella.
The second part of the 1,683-meter-long tramway system is set to link Agadir Oufella to an entertainment village called “Dania Land,” at a height of 10 meters. Both the tramway and Dania Land are part of an international tourist camp project called “Sous Camp.”
Dania Land will build the tramway with a budget of MAD 115 million ($12.4 million).
Planners suspended the two projects in 2016 due to the seismic nature of the zone where they will be located.
In 1960, Agadir recorded the deadliest shake in the history of Morocco, a violent earthquake of 5.8 on the Richter scale with a maximum perceived intensity of X (extreme) on the Mercalli intensity scale.
The 1960 tremor killed over 15,000, injured 12,000, and left 35,000 homeless.
The announcement of the aerial tramway project comes after tourism professionals of Agadir held a meeting on September 24 to establish a recovery plan for the sector in the southern province.
The professionals decided to collaborate with local authorities to help revive the tourist economy, including with the opening of aerial borders and beaches.
Beaches constitute a major tourism asset in Agadir, which has become a prized international destination for surfing. Agadir is the most frequently-visited seaside destination in Morocco.