Tender for Casablanca subway construction to be launched shortly

A tender for the construction of the Casablanca subway will be launched shortly, announced Moroccan minister of state, minister of the interior, Driss Basri.

Basri said last week here that the study on the subway will be completed very soon and that the construction works will start immediately afterwards.

The project, to be co-financed by the state and by local councils, will benefit in a first stage some 1.5 million persons and the ticket price will be within the reach of the labor class and low-income persons, Basri said.

The urban community of Casablanca signed last February an accord with an international consortium, including giant world construction and transports groups such as Bouygues, Bymaro, GEC Alsthom and Systra, for the construction of the subway. The accord provides inter alia for completing all necessary technical feasibility studies for the project.

The first 11 km-long section of Morocco's 1st subway is to cost about usd 588 million according to first estimates.

The subway will help settle the acute urban transport problems facing up the 4 million inhabitants of the Casablanca metropolis.