Light Rail Stations Destroyed in Rioting
The Yerushalayim light rail has been hit hard by the rioting in Arab neighborhoods of east Yerushalayim.
Two stations — at Shuafat and Es-Sahl — have been completely destroyed and passenger volume has dropped precipitously in the northern parts of the city due to the violence.
Franchisee CityPass says damage to the network will run into tens of millions of shekels, plus millions more in lost fares.
Compensation is expected to come from the Purchase Tax, and CityPass has already begun proceedings to apply for it.
To reduce tensions, the police have restricted light rail operations to between Mount Herzl and Givat Hamivtar (French Hill) until further notice.
CityPass CEO Yaron Ravid told Globes that “ultimately [those] that damaged the railway have damaged the service that they themselves enjoy. We have drivers, inspectors, and control room staff from east Yerushalayim, and the extremists have caused them damage and it’s a shame. The light rail has been a place of coexistence for three years. I really hope that we succeed in getting life back on track.”
The light rail began operating in 2011 and transports an average of 40,000 passengers daily — one of the world’s highest figures for a system of this type.
This article appeared in print on page 7 of edition of Hamodia.
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