The state company NTA Metropolitan Mass Transit System Ltd., responsible to provide solutions to traffic problems in the Dan region, including Light-rail Transit (LRT), announced the winner of the tender for delivery of 120 cars for servicing the «red» line.
The Red Line will be the first of a network of Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines to be operated by NTA. This line represents part of a comprehensive plan to improve the welfare and quality of life in Israel.
The tender is for the supply of 120 locomotives, the value of which is estimated at €1.8 million each, making a total of €216 million (NIS 1 billion). The tender, published in June 2014, is considered one of the largest in the light rail project.
The Chinese company CNR, which will supply the cars managed to bypass the Spanish company CAF and Alstom. The Chinese proposal was for NIS 300 million cheaper than the nearest competitor.
However, the announcement of the winner for a long time been delayed by allegations that the tender was planned in such a way as to give an advantage to the Chinese, and that when taking into account the points more weight was given to lowest price, not the quality of the delivered products.
CNR Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co., Ltd. is a large-scale state-owned enterprise in China developing not only diesel locomotives, electric locomotives, engines and urban transit LRVs but also exporting them in batches. The Company has the capacity of producing 600 locomotives, repairing 400 locomotives, 700 urban transit LRVs and 500 high power diesel engines annually.
