Three groups submitted bids to NTA Metropolitan Mass Transit System in the tender to operate the Greater Tel Aviv light rail Red line. All the groups are Israeli-Chinese partnerships, after Deutsche Bahn and SNCF withdrew at the last minute. The tender is to operate the railway between Petah Tikva and Bat Yam for 10 years, with an option for six more years.
The groups filing bids were Egged Israel Transport Cooperative Society, together with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and Shenzhen Metro; Dan Bus Company, in partnership with Beijing Metro; and Derech Eretz Highways, in partnership with Guangzhou Metro. Announcement of the winner is scheduled for July 2017. Light rail red line is planned to be inaugurated in 2021.
Beijing Metro operates 19 lines in the Chinese capital, carrying 10 million passengers daily between 345 stations. Shenzhen Metro carries four million passengers on eight lines daily over over 280 kilometers 199 stations. Guangzhou Metro carries eight million passengers daily over 300 kilometers of track.
„The tender for operation and maintenance includes the entire Red line operational set-up, including training and hiring drivers and ticket takers and management of maintenance contractors for the carriages and railway systems and infrastructure… Selecting the operator at an early stage will enable NTA to prepare ahead of time to provide passengers with the highest level and most efficient service from the first days of operation”, NTA says.
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