Miri Regev blocks progress on Metro

• Published date: 31 May 2023
• Author: Asaf Zagrizak
• Publication title: Globes (Rishon LeZion, Israel)

Sources familiar with the matter have told "Globes" that back in February, plans were put on Regev's desk for expropriating buildings around the Metro stations as part of the two Metro lines that have already been approved: M1 from Glilot via Tel Aviv, Holon, Rishon Lezion, Beer Yaakov, Ramla, Lod and Ness Ziona to Rehovot, and M3 which will run from Herzliya, via Ben Gurion Airport to Bat Yam

Regev has already signed expropriation orders for other projects, including the extension of the Red Line to Rishon LeZion (a day after the publication in Globes of her decision to divert its implementation budget to finance new roads), but the Metro's expropriation orders remain on her desk, even though these orders are extremely urgent. These are complicated expropriations of buildings, including residential housing. Unlike the light rail which runs mainly along roads, construction of the metro stations will require the expropriation of quite a few buildings. In the next step, the underground route will also be expropriated, which will also pass under buildings.

There is still time until the works begin in the field, but expropriation of this type requires years of preparation. Israel has never faced a project on the scale of the Metro - an underground railway system with an estimated cost of NIS 150 billion that will pass through 24 local authorities and include 109 stations. According to estimates, the compensation from the expropriation of the buildings for the construction of the metro will reach tens of billions of shekels, encompassing about 900 properties including about 700 housing units and the rest office buildings, factories and more.

Regev's terms for promoting the Metro

Regev even concedes that she is holding back actions related to the implementation of the project. In response to "Globes" question about the delay in signing the expropriation orders, her office said "the Minister of Transport and Road Safety instructed the professionals to continue Metro planning activities, but due to the huge budgets that were allocated in the past, however, with regard to implementation work, the Minister has instructed not to promote actions for implementation until it is consolidated and there is budgeting for a plan to connect the State of Israel from the north to the south. The Ministry of Transport headed by the minister insists on investing in transportation infrastructure not only in Metropolitan Tel Aviv, but throughout the entire State of Israel and has...