Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – Morocco’s state-owned railway company ONCF denied the accuracy of widespread media reports indicating that a Chinese firm had secured the tender to the Marrakech-Agadir high-speed rail line, known as TGV.
During this week, multiple news reports have claimed that the much-anticipated TGV project linking Marrakech to Agadir was awarded to a Chinese firm.
Reports from local news outlets, which didn’t include a source, said that the China Railway Design Corporation (CRDC) will carry out construction work for the project.
In a statement on Tuesday, ONCF dismissed the misinformation reported by a number of media news outlets. The company clarifies that the contract for the preliminary design of the high-speed link further connecting the south was awarded to the Chinese engineering firm CRDC (China Railway Design Corporation).
This was part of prospective studies for the future development of Morocco’s national railway network, ONCF explained.
The company stressed its commitment to transparency regarding the process of awarding contracts, adding that the decision to select CRDC was made after opening a call for an international tender for preliminary studies, in which multiple firms participated. Ultimately, CRDC claimed the tender due to the competitive offer they tabled.
“This attribution has undergone a comprehensive evaluation process and was based on the merits of the proposals submitted by participating firms,” stated the ONCF spokesperson in the statement.
The spokesperson equally offered an update about the high-speed rail project, saying that all necessary studies are completed, and a detailed implementation plan will be adopted.
The plan will cover all relevant components of the project and will be communicated transparently to the public in due time.
Read Also: Marrakech-Agadir TGV Line: Morocco to Invest MAD 1.44 Billion in Study Phase
