Gush Dan Metro Construction to Take At Least 20 Years, Says Netivei Yisrael Chief

Nissim Peretz, Director General of the state-owned infrastructure company Netivei Yisrael, stated on October 13 that the construction of a metro system in Gush Dan will take at least 20 years at the current pace. Speaking at the "People of the Country" conference, Peretz criticized the government's approach to national infrastructure projects, attributing delays to state bureaucracy. He has led Netivei Yisrael for 11 years and advocates for involving private companies in major projects.

Peretz expressed pessimism about the projected timelines, stating, "20 years, no less." He emphasized his 30 years of experience in infrastructure, including his time as head of logistics for the IDF, to support his assessment. He clarified that the delays are not due to the metro construction company NTA (Netivei Ayarot), which he praised for its leadership, but rather the decision-making process. Peretz believes private sector involvement, driven by profit motives, would accelerate progress.

He also noted a shift in Israeli transportation policy over the last decade, acknowledging that new roads are insufficient for Gush Dan's traffic problems. Peretz highlighted public transport, including bike paths, bus lanes, trams, trains, and metros, as the future. While acknowledging existing bus lanes, he pointed out a shortage of buses and drivers, and expressed frustration over the decade-long wait for additional metro lines beyond the Red Line.

Discussing the restoration of northern Israel's infrastructure following security incidents, Peretz, who lives near the border in Dovev, lamented the lack of a protected room in his home after three years. He contrasted this with the perceived serious approach to infrastructure restoration in the south. Peretz revealed that only 37 million shekels out of 600 million promised for the north have been received, citing bureaucratic hurdles and delays in government decisions and organizational agreements.

Peretz identified the railway to Kiryat Shmona as a positive development, with 2.4 billion shekels allocated and work underway, including tenders for tunnels expected in 2028. He described the railway project to Eilat as needing division into two parts, with the Beer Sheva to Dimona section funded but the Dimona to Eilat section facing planning and environmental challenges. Regarding airports intended to complement Ben Gurion Airport, Peretz reiterated the need for private sector involvement, with tenders for Beit Kama planned for 2028 and Ramat David to follow.

Peretz characterized Israel's execution of national projects as "third-world," despite strong planning capabilities. He cited an instance where a Ministry of Finance official denied his request to shorten a 72-month construction timeline for the Zichron Yaakov interchange to 48 months, illustrating the inefficiencies he believes could be improved by 40-50%.