A comprehensive picture of the communications and transport situation in Israel was presented to the Knesset last night by Communications Minister David Zvi Pinkas, who told the deputies that communications are developing at top speed in the Jewish State, but are not able to keep up with the rapid development of the country’s population, commerce, industry and agriculture.
The Israel merchant marine, Minister Pinkas said, has increased from four ships when the state was created nearly four years ago to 124 ships with a total tonnage in excess of 120,000 deadweight tons. This merchant fleet, he said, is handling a considerable part of Israel’s maritime trade.
He stressed, however, that the port of Haifa is becoming notorious throughout the world for its inefficiency, high cost and the increasing number of thefts. He said that the government was attempting to control the latter situation by instituting a more effective system of control of workers on the docks and by increasing penalties for those apprehended stealing from the docks.
SECOND DEEP WATER PORT TO BE BUILT IN SOUTH
The Minister referred to the latest Cabinet decision to seek a site for a second deep water port in the southern part of the country, but gave no hint as to its possible location. He reported that the work of expanding Haifa’s facilities by extending dock facilities along the Kishon River will probably be completed by the end of 1952.
There are some 37,000 vehicles of every description on Israeli roads, the Minister disclosed, adding that they were inadequate especially in the field of passenger transportation. He revealed that the government plans to increase the number of buses by about 3,000. Some will be purchased directly by the government and will be rented to cooperatives or private transport companies, while others will be acquired by the government in partnership with the cooperatives.
One serious stumbling block to the expansion of automotive transport, according to Minister Pinkas, is the high cost of transporting oil. This, he said, may be overcome partially by the laying of a special pipeline between Haifa and Tel Aviv. The country must also economize on tires, he said, pointing out that this is possible because by mid-summer two recently constructed tire plants will begin to supply enough tires and tubes to cut caste by 50 percent. When these plants reach an export level, Israel will be able to cover its entire tire and tube needs without the expenditure of foreign exchange.
RAILWAY LINE TO BE EXTENDED TO BEERSHEBA
There are 553 kilometers of rail operating in the country, he revealed. However, he said that a second line between Haifa and Tel Aviv will be completed by the end of the year and will shorten the rail trip between the two cities by 32 kilometers and bring the trip down to 80 minutes. In addition, he stated, the government plans to extend this line to Beersheba and, later, to Eilath. The Eilath spur will be used mainly for carrying minerals, he said. He did not indicate when work would commence on these projects.
Mr. Pinkas reported that the government has one postal agency in operation for each 10,000 residents. This compares with an average of one unit for each 4,000 to 6,000 people in more developed countries.
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