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Weekly highlights

Casablanca: The longest urban bridge completed

O NE of the longest urban
bridges in Morocco will soon
start its operations. This is
the bridge ramp of Boulevard Mo-
hammed VI at the intersections with
Boulevards Al Qods, Driss El Harti,
Dakhla and Amgala. The workers are
putting the finishing touches to this
colossal engineering structure, before
its official launch. The circulation of
vehicles on the bridge will free up the
space below, in order to finalize the
work on the future tram line 3 and
on the surrounding roads. Longer
than the cable-stayed bridge of Sidi
Maârouf, this engineering structure,
with a total length of 1,100 m inclu-
ding the entrance ramps, should make
the traffic on this major axis, repre-
senting one of the main accesses to The engineering structure, with a total
the city of Casablanca draining very length of 1,100 meters, will have to make
dense traffic with significant flows traffic more fluid on this major axis,
of heavy goods vehicles. This bridge representing one of the main accesses to
ramp will also secure the surface the city of Casablanca draining very dense
pedestrian paths of Casabus, Casa- traffic with significant flows of heavy-duty
vehicles. (Ph. L’Economiste)
busway (Bw1), Casatramway (line
3) travelers, and of the other transport and for optimal passenger connections
services for better service performance in this largest future hub of the TCSP
network. Nearly 10 engineers and
Public procurements 200 people are mobilized under this
project, which unfolds without inter-
rupting road traffic. The Casa-Trans-
A major turning point… ports company is responsible for the
delegated project management of this
project, while the Bioui company is
carrying out the work for an amount
T HE decree on public procure- ned. The idea is to ensure post-Co- the same rules. It is in this sense that of 171.3 million Dirhams (17 million
vid economic recovery, with a view
ments was the flagship project
Fouzi Lekjaâ, sponsor of this pro-
USD). In addition to the transit role
with which the Government
emerging economies and strengthe-
Council ended its work for 2022. to elevating Morocco to the rank of ject, stressed that the decree makes provided by the bridge, the section
it possible to broaden and unify the
This is a real reform of the regu- ning its position both at the conti- framework which governs the located between Al Qods and Driss
latory framework for the award of nental and international level. The markets to harmonize the El Harti boulevards will be the largest
public contracts which takes place in overhaul of the regulations also mode of granting of the interchange hub in the public transport
a national and international context, aims to make public procurements orders of the national go- network on its own site (line 3 of tram-
marked by profound changes and a powerful lever for economic de- vernment in the various way and line 1 of BRT), and will be
structural transformations. The velopment, job promotion, crea- sectors and throughout the close to large taxi and bus stops. The
reform is part of the strengthening tion of added value, and improve- whole territory. For tram station, in an axial position, will
of public procurement governance ment of the governance of 2023, the Appro- be set up below the structure, while
and the consecration of the mana- public management and priations Bill has that of the Bus Rapid Transit will la-
gement logic, based on results and the business climate. listed 300 billion terally adjoin the Al Hosna mosque.
performance, in accordance with the Indeed, public markets Dirhams (30 bil- In terms of passenger service, this
recommendations of the new deve- play an important and lion USD) as structure will in particular ensure safe
lopment model. The new system vital role in the dyna- public invest- correspondence between users of the
adopted concerns public procure- mics of the national ments, not to planned modes of transport and those
ments which play a driving role in economy, in particu- mention the already in existence (tramway, BRT,
economic development and the crea- lar given the conti- 45 billion large taxis, and buses) by reducing the
tion of wealth, says the presentation nuous growth in the Dirhams (4.5 volume of vehicles using the section
note of the draft decree relating to volume of invest- billion USD) at the surface, and limiting vehicle/
public procurements. The overhaul ments by the cen- under the pedestrian conflicts. The goal is also to
of the regulations is part of the mea- tral Governments, Mohammed VI improve the commercial performance
sures taken by the government for local authorities, and Fund for Invest- of trams and nuses with a high level
the establishment of a participatory state-owned enterprises, ment. o of service (BRTs), at intersections by
development model, through the or public agencies. Today, Mohamed CHAOUI guaranteeing them priority. o
involvement of all the actors concer- public procurements obey Aziza EL AFFAS
Friday 6 January 2023