Rabat – These structural projects are intended to support the substantial development of the sector, with the launch last Thursday of the high-speed train “Al Boraq“, to improve comfort conditions on board trains, to ease the substantial flow of traffic and to reduce travel time.
King Mohammed VI inaugurated the tripling of the Casablanca – Kenitra railway tracks, the complete doubling of the Casablanca – Marrakech railway tracks, the stations dedicated to high-speed trains (Rabat-Agdal, Tangiers, Kenitra and Casa-Voyageurs), and the new stations of Oujda and Benguerir. These large-scale projects required a global investment of MAD 10.5 billion.
The tripling of the Casablanca-Kenitra railway tracks, which required MAD 5.2 billion, will enable the desaturation of the Casablanca railway junction and multiply the capacity of this line by 2.5, thus offering the possibility to schedule up to one departure every 3 minutes.
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Eighty percent of the project’s construction works were achieved by national companies, mobilizing 3 million working days and generating 280 jobs during the exploitation stage.
The complete doubling of the Casablanca – Marrakech railway tracks (174 kilometers), which required MAD 3 billion, will allow the increase of the capacity of the tracks by more than 100 pc, in addition to environmental benefits (6.5 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions avoided per year).
On this occasion, the King inaugurated the Rabat-Agdal Train Station, an architectural and urban jewel that reinforces the place of Rabat as “City of Light, the Moroccan Capital of Culture”.
The new station, which required a total investment of 800 million dirhams and whose opening is in line with the launch of the high-speed train “Al Boraq” connecting Tangier to Casablanca, is one of the four new generation stations inaugurated this Saturday to accompany the launch of high-speed trains.
The Kenitra train station, which has been built near the old station, mobilized investments of about MAD 400 million. This project includes the redevelopment of 5 quays of 400 ml in length, and the construction of a 200-space car park.
The Casa-Voyageurs train station (MAD 450 million) contains, like the other new-generation stations, technological equipment that meets international requirements for safety, security and quality of services.
The Tangier-Ville Railway Station, which required MAD 360 million, consisted in the enhancement of the building of the old station, as well as the construction of a new building intended to house all the premises related to high speed trains.
As part of its development strategy, Morocco’s Railway Office (ONCF) has carried out an ambitious program of modernization and construction of small, medium and large train stations.
The new stations of Oujda (MAD 170 million) and Benguerir (36 MAD million) are among these stations. These two train stations will improve the conditions of reception and comfort of travelers, respond to the growth of passenger traffic and support the urban development of the cities served.
