ByMOSHE COHEN/MAARIV

An important milestone was recorded on Thursday for the Light Rail Red Line project when the Petah Tikva route was officially launched.

The gala launch event was attended by Transport Minister Miri Regev, who spoke about the fact that she would soon be ending her time as minister due to the Bennett-Lapid government inauguration.

"We are preparing for the inauguration, although I hope there will be changes," Regev said. "Most of the public did not elect this government, but if there are no further changes, we will pass the Transport Ministry over in the most orderly and matter-of-fact manner to whoever takes my place."

"If necessary, we will be a militant opposition that does not steal the voter's voice. I want to say - We will return stronger than before," she concluded.

Regev further noted that "the issue of handling traffic jams must be a high priority." According to her, the light rail will significantly help in the Dan metropolis, which is one of the most congested in the State of Israel. "There are requirements to change the route of the light rail," she noted, "In addition to the red line, we are entering the stages of making the purple line and the green line." She clarified that "it is not possible to change the route of the lines, this is in view of the high financial costs that changes would require."

The launch ceremony was also attended by the mayors of Ramat Gan, Petah Tikva and Bat Yam - Carmel Shama HaCohen, Rami Greenberg and Zvika Brut.

CEO of the Metropolis Mass Transit System (NTA), Haim Glick, said that "the red line will start operating commercially in November 2022, and test rides along the entire route will begin in early 2022." Glick added: "The length of the red line, which connects Petah Tikva, Bnei Brak and Ramat Gan (via the Jabotinsky axis), the center of Tel Aviv-Yafo and Bat Yam, is 12 km of tunnels, at a depth of 35 km. Thousands of workers are currently employed on the light rail project.

According to NTA chairman Ram Blinkov "the huge project will affect millions, not only in the Dan metropolis but throughout the country."

The first test run of the Red Line train passed through Petah Tikva about six years after construction on the project first began.