It is reported that Morocco is planning a high speed rail project costing MAD 20 billion, but some argue that the money should be spent on higher priority needs like education.

As per report, Morocco's plan to construct a high speed rail network is drawing mixed reviews with some legislators and ordinary citizens saying the money is needed to meet other goals.

The project will cut travel times between Tangier and Casablanca from more than five hours to just over two. By 2016, some 8 million passengers per year are expected to use the new line, which is the first step in a master plan aimed at building over 1,500 kilometres of new tracks by 2035.

Mr Karim Ghellab transport minister of Morocco said that the government is convinced of the need for the project. Faced with the rapid growth of rail transport, we closely studied the most suitable technology for developing the sector.
Mr Ghellab said at a signing ceremony of the contract for the planned high speed rail project that the study concluded that there would be higher socio economic productivity for the high-speed technology in comparison with classical railways. In spite of the former's reasonable additional cost, it's characterised by economic features that greatly exceed the advantages of the later.

The minister added at the ceremony, which was presided over by King Mohammed VI that work on the high speed train will kick off next June, while the exploitation of the project will begin in December 2015.

The contract signed between the state and the National Railway Office is for MAD 20 billion, 2010 to 2015 project under a wider government programme for social and economic development. The project is to be funded by the state, the Hassan II Fund for Social and Economic Development and foreign loans. A total of MAD 33 billion will be invested in developing rail transport as a whole.

(Sourced from Magharebia)