GCF and its subsidiaries will undertake work between Sidi El Aidi and Marrakech.
MOROCCAN National Railways (ONCF) has selected Italian firm Generale Construzioni Ferroviarie (GCF) for two construction contracts for the project to extend the existing Tangiers – Kenitra high-speed line to Marrakech.
GCF will act as the lead contractor in a consortium with its subsidiary companies Transalp Renouvellement, GCF Elettriche, and GCFMA to deliver Lot 2, which comprises the approximately 200km Sidi El Aidi – Marrakech southern section of the new line.
The contract is worth €140m and the consortium will be responsible for tracklaying and construction of the overhead catenary, including excavating foundations, installing masts and electrification equipment, and tensioning. GCF says detailed design for the project is underway and work has also begun on preparing worksites.
As part of the project, GCF will establish construction bases at Sidi El Aidi and Benguerir, which will serve as logistics hubs, material storage and handling facilities, and also provide facilities for maintaining construction machinery. The site at Benguerir will house a sleeper manufacturing plant and an electric rail welding facility, which will be available to ONCF for the proposed extension of the line to Agadir. Rail for the project will be supplied by JSW Steel Italy.
Lot 4
In addition, GCF, this time working alongside GCFMA, has secured the Lot 4 contract to upgrade the existing Sidi El Aidi – Marrakech main line. Work will include laying new track, turnouts and upgrades to overhead line equipment along with complementary civil works.
The project aims to increase the performance of the existing mixed-traffic line. It will also include refurbishment of six stations at Sidi El Aidi, Settat, Benguérir, Sidi Boutmane, Palmerale-Sidi Ghanem, and Gueliz, and the construction of two new stations at Ville Verte and Stade de Marrakech, offering interconnections with the under-construction high-speed line.
The contract is worth €55m and the work will be completed within 36 months.
Source of the article:railjournal.com
