First security exercise of its kind on transportation routes in Haifa

For the first time: a security exercise at the Transportation Father Center in Haifa took place last night 16/3/21

A security exercise took place yesterday (Tuesday 16/03/21) at the Haifa Transportation Center, located in the Hafaretz Center complex. The exercise took place under the leadership of the Ministry of Transportation through the Ayalon Routes Company, in combination with the security, fire and rescue forces.

As part of the exercise, a number of scenarios were carried out focusing for the first time on the security of the public transport complexes
located in the center of the Gulf in Haifa, including terminals, a shopping mall and the train.

In recent times, the Ministry of Transportation has granted the Ayalon Routes Company powers that expand the company's activities to the Haifa metropolis, including operation and maintenance of the public transportation complexes in the metropolis, the establishment of a master plan team for the northern region and the establishment of a metropolitan traffic management center to be used by Haifa and its surroundings. As part of the operational powers Lida received, it is possible to name, among others, the operation and maintenance of the Central Gulf Railway Station, the Emek Railway Station, the cable car, the maintenance of the Matron axis and the terminals in the Haifa area and its surroundings.

In recent years, the Haifa metropolis has become a magnificent transportation hub used by thousands of people living in Haifa and its surroundings. The center includes the largest connecting parent in the country, including the Lev Hamfaretz central terminal - where hundreds of buses leave alongside the Metron activity, the coastal train station and the central Hamfaretz Valley train station, the cable car, Cinamall mall, Asuta Hospital, Haifa Port and the refineries located in the area.

Along with the advantages of the center, it is important to remember that this is a sensitive, strategic and security destination. Remember, during the Gulf War the Cinamall mall was hit directly by a Scud fired from Iraq that was aimed at the refineries located in the area. Also, the area suffered many injuries as part of the Second Lebanon War.

The Ministry of Transportation, through the Ayalon Routes Company, led yesterday (16/03) the first security exercise of its kind in the Haifa Transportation Center in the complex of the Gulf Center in the combination of the security, fire and rescue forces. The exercise focused on the security of the public transportation complexes located in the center of the Gulf in Haifa, including terminals, a shopping mall and the train. During the exercise, a number of scenarios were carried out: rescuing people from an overturned bus, handling an explosive device in a car that was discovered near the mall, rescuing hostages from a bus where a suspect was barricaded, and handling a suspicious object that was discovered on the train platforms.

The Ayalon Routes Company, under the leadership of the Ministry of Transportation, promotes a range of advanced transportation solutions throughout the country that will be an alternative to the private car in order to reduce congestion on the roads. In recent times, the Ayalon routes company has expanded to the north and believes in transportation projects in the Haifa metropolis.

Ido Dorfivski, head of the maintenance and logistics department at Natibi Ayalon: 

The exercise is another step in our responsibility to upgrade public transportation in the Haifa metropolis and is another leap forward in the expansion of Ayalon routes to the north of the country.