Morocco Considers Shifting from Tichka to Ourika Tunnel Project for Southeast Access

Responding to a written question from parliamentarians, the ministry believes that the Ourika tunnel is a much better alternative to open up the populations of certain regions in the southeast than the Tichka tunnel, which has been awaited for decades, reports the Arabic-language daily Al Ahdath Al Maghribia. To support its argument, it reviewed preliminary studies suggesting two routes. The first - crossing national road No. 9 and the Tichka pass - with a length of 5.5 kilometers requires the complete development of more than 8.5 kilometers of roads and several bridges and a budget of 7 billion dirhams. The second route, which will pass through the Ourika, requires the development of more than 80 kilometers of road and about ten bridges and a budget of 10 billion dirhams.

It emerges from the studies already carried out that the second route, with all the ancillary roads that will have to be developed, is of paramount importance. It would allow a time saving of 78 minutes for cars and 112 minutes for trucks, while the time saving of the first route would be 20 minutes for cars and 29 minutes for trucks. The ministry also announced the launch of geotechnical and geophysical studies for the second route. A budget of 30 million dirhams has already been set aside.