The Moroccan Office of Railways (ONCF) will direct a budget of 2.9 billion Dirhams (1 Dh = 0.1 Euro) in 2005 to upgrade the railway services, security and infrastructure, said, the director general of ONCF, Mohamed Rabie Khlie.
The company director general, who was speaking at a meeting of the ONCF Board of Trustees, said, according to MAP, the office will enhance the capacity of its network, consolidate security and purchase new car trains.
He said projections for this year show an increase in passengers and goods transportation, which will reflect on its general revenues.
2005, Khlie added, will witness the launching of a number of restructuring projects aiming at extending the railway network, mainly through the construction of a 45-km connection between Tangier-new and the Port of Tangier-Mediterranean, the construction of Sidi Yahia-Mechrâa Bel Ksiri 47-km shortcut, and the construction of the Taourirt-Nador 117-Km line.
During the meeting, presided over by minister of Transport and Equipment, Karim Ghellab, ONCF Director said the Office earned MD1.72 billion in turnover during the first nine months of the financial year 2004, say a 10.5% increase in comparison to the same period of 2003.
Khlie said ONCF transported some 14 million passengers, which is a 11.7% increase in comparison to the previous year, thus generating about MD512.6 million.
The Moroccan official also pointed out the railways office transported about 3.1 million tons of goods, achieving an increase of 1.2% compared to last year.
