The National Railway Office (ONCF) is accelerating the construction of the high-speed line (LGV) linking Kenitra to Marrakech. A new step towards the creation of the Kénitra-Marrakech TGV. On Friday, the National Railway Office (ONCF) launched a competitive dialogue procedure for the award of the contract relating to the design and construction of the extension of the GSM-R network for the high-speed line linking Kenitra to Marrakech. February 2025 will mark the start of network installation work. In a document accompanying the call for tenders, the ONCF indicates that the deployment of a GSM-R (Global System for Mobile Communications – Railway) communications network is part of the process of modernizing installations intended for the safety of railway operations and aims to improve communications between the ground and the board with a real-time connection. It proved necessary to install the GSM-R system on the new LGVs, in particular the Kenitra-Marrakech line, because this will make it possible to meet communication and operational safety requirements. Read: TGV Kénitra-Marrakech: the Chinese in action The ONCF chose a competitive dialogue when awarding this contract. The same document indicates that “the design of this communication system proves to be complex due to the nature and consistency of the installations to be carried out and the need to interface with existing installations and to ensure the integration of new components on a GSM-R network in service”. Hence the use of competitive dialogue which offers the possibility of engaging in discussions with carefully selected competitors. Read: ONCF launches the decisive phase for the Kénitra-Marrakech TGV The competitive dialogue procedure involves discussions with manufacturers to verify their abilities to adapt, maintain operation, guarantee the safety and availability of the existing system during the work phase, and propose interfaces ensuring interoperability. The ONCF will specify that this design process also makes it possible to quantify and cost the required installations, to define the phasing of the work, but also to establish the duration necessary to carry out the services in accordance with the master schedule and to evaluate a long-term maintenance policy for the system.
