In order to relieve the capital and especially its western region, a Skytrain project connecting the area of “Haï El Badr” to “Fandi” was presented by the Algerian civil work company Cosider to the Ministry of Transport.
The project is designed by Cosider company in collaboration with french groups Alstom and Bouygues. The project was presented as “a turnkey solution that incorporates rolling stocks, rail track, signalling, power supply, civil work, and maintenance”. According to its technical specifications, this future Skytrain will have a capacity of 500,000 passengers a day.
The Skytrain Metro project aims to reduce significantly the car traffic in the Ring Road South by serving 11 strategic points of Algeria capital’s west part.
To convince the ministry, the group relies on several arguments such as the project cost that will be reduced by 30% compared to a conventional metro, and the absence of catenary, which significantly refines the visual impact thanks to a third power rail providing 750V to the trains. The project could be completed in three and a half years according to Cosider.
Lately there were rumors about postponing several state funded railway and tramway projects due to crude oil prices having more than halved and a policy of reducing the public spending funds. But if the project is approved, it will be the next step of Algiers Metro extension plan.
Rail transport in Algeria is expected to be a priority area for the government as the economy plans to go forward. However, it is the modernisation and electrification of the 4,200 kilometres of track which will offer the greatest opportunities for economic investment, as Algeria develops a USD 200 billion infrastructure development program as planned until 2030.
According to the Algerian Government, the transport sector will receive, as part of the 2010-2014 Public Investment Programme, 2,816 billion dinars (USD 31,7 billion) to be spent mainly on modernising and extending the train network, improving urban transport and upgrading airport infrastructure. The main activities planned within the framework of the programme are: the construction of 17 railway lines (6,000 km) to increase the national railway network from 3,500 km of track in 2010 to 10,500 km of track in 2014, which will substantially increase the rail network in the north, south, and in the Highlands, the completion of the electrification of the northern ring-railway line, the construction of underground infrastructure in Oran, the construction of tramways in 14 towns, building 7 airport terminals, the extension of 4 ports and the creation of 27 new urban transport companies.
by Elena Ilie
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