Hirchson to bring forward railway projects

The three rail projects had been put on hold by the Budget Division of the Ministry of Finance. The treasury announced it sees the projects as priorities for the 2007 budget
 
Minister of Finance Abraham Hirchson ordered last week the bringing forward of railway construction projects that would connect the Jezreel valley (Haemek), Galilee and Negev to the center of the country.
 
The three rail projects had been put on hold by the Budget Division of the Ministry of Finance, after they apparently exceeded the spending budget set out for Israel Railways.
 
Hirchson said he would conduct open discussions about the train budget toward the end of the planning process, before implementation.
 
The treasury said it would renew the railway construction projects, and sees the projects as priorities for the 2007 budget.
 
A spokesman for the treasury noted that train development budget for 2007 totals some NIS 300 million.