Casablanca – The King Mohammed VI, launched on Wednesday at the Hay Hassani district prefecture in Casablanca, structuring railway projects with a strong impact on mobility in the Casablanca metropolitan area, worth 20 billion DH.
These structuring projects, which respond to the future challenges of urban mobility within this metropolis, are an integral part of a global program with a budget of 96 billion DH.
This program aims in particular to support the sustained development experienced by the railway sector, with the launch last April by the King of the construction of the Kenitra-Marrakech high-speed line (430 km), to develop regional links between Kenitra and Casablanca, to improve mobility conditions in the urban areas of Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakech and to develop a new ecosystem for the railway industry at the national level.
This integrated program reflects the Sovereign’s enlightened vision for improving the national rail service, and is part of the Kingdom’s strategic orientations, under the leadership of the King, in terms of sustainable development, in particular the promotion of collective mobility solutions with a low carbon footprint.
These projects, financed to the tune of 70% by the National Railways Office and 30% by the Region, involve the construction of three large new-generation stations, the creation of 10 new local metropolitan train stations (TMP), the requalification and adaptation of 5 stations for these local trains, the installation of 260 km of new railway tracks, the construction and widening of 50 engineering structures, the construction of 2 technical centers (Zenata and Nouaceur) and 5 maintenance workshops, in addition to the acquisition of 48 new trains for local and regional services.
They thus aim to develop a sustainable regional transport system, strengthen the daily mobility of users, contribute to socio-economic development and urban planning, and support national deadlines by 2030.
As for the three major new-generation stations, these will be integrated and efficient structures, serving better territorial connectivity. This is the case for the “Casablanca-Sud” station, whose construction work was launched by the King this Wednesday in the Hay Hassani district.
Mobilizing investments of around 700 MDH, this project will consist of the construction of a new building which will have cutting-edge technological equipment meeting international requirements in terms of safety, security and quality of services.
With an annual capacity of 12 million passengers, the future “Casablanca-Sud” station will have 6 platforms, 10 railway tracks to accommodate “Al Boraq” high-speed trains, mainline trains, local metropolitan trains, regional trains and the “aero-express” train to serve Mohammed V airport from the Casa-Port station with a frequency of 15 minutes, outdoor facilities covering 20,000 m2 and a 700-space car park.
Designed to accommodate the growing flow of passengers and promote the emergence of a dynamic business district, the “Casablanca-Sud” station will offer seamless connections with the tramway, high-speed bus service, buses and taxis, making it a strategic intermodal hub.
The second new generation station is that of the Grand Stade “Hassan II” in Benslimane which, mobilizing investments of around 450 MDH, will be able, during the operating phase, to accommodate up to 12 million passengers per year.
This also includes the new Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport Station, which will require a total budget of 300 million dirhams, with a capacity to accommodate 5 million passengers per year. These three large new-generation stations will be completed within 24 months.
As for the new local metropolitan train stations, they will contribute to strengthening mobility in Casablanca and its region through the new local rail service which will be put into service by 2030, offering a frequency of up to one train every 7.5 minutes.
Three main lines, extending over a total of 92 km, will be developed and will efficiently connect the main urban and peri-urban centers, while ensuring access to strategic sites such as the large Hassan II stadium and Mohammed V international airport.
In this context, 10 new stations will be developed within 20 months and will require a budget of 625 MDH, according to a harmonious and fluid architectural charter, guaranteeing comfort, accessibility and efficiency for passengers. Theseare: “Mohammedia – Les Facultés”, “Zenata”, “Sidi Bernoussi”, “Ain Sbâa”, “Hay Mohammadi”, “Ville Nouvelle”, “Mers Sultan”, “l’Oasis”, “Sidi Maârouf” and “Nouaceur”. Existing stations will also be modernized to fully integrate the local metropolitan train. It should be noted that, once the local trains are in service, 150.000 passengers will be transported every day on the three lines.
In addition to the three local metropolitan train lines, an aero-express service will directly connect the Casa-Port station to Mohammed V International Airport with shuttles every 15 minutes. Similarly, the regional train service will be reinforced on the El Jadida and Settat routes with shuttles every 30 minutes.
Thus, to cover the needs of Regional and Local Mobility, the acquisition of 48 self-propelled trains with a capacity of more than 1.000 seats and a speed of 160 km/h is planned, at a cost of 7 billion dirhams (excluding VAT).
The South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Rotem, selected to supply these trains, will establish a factory on the national territory which will be one of the components of the railway ecosystem and a reference site to cover future national needs and thus contribute to the realization of an export ambition in the medium term.
All these coherent, compatible and integrated projects make it possible to generate knock-on effects for the benefit of communities in terms of job creation, security and environmental preservation, while contributing to the improvement of citizens’ living conditions and the creation of added value.