In addition to the nightmare for Modi’in residents, Israel Railways has now added travelers heading to and from Ben-Gurion International Airport, as it announced on Sunday, 17 Menachem Av, the closure of the Modi’in Center – Ben-Gurion Airport stop on the two upcoming weekends to permit electrical maintenance work on the express Jerusalem-Tel Aviv line.

Modi’in stations have been closed intermittently for four weeks due to the work, which led to harsh criticism from the residents, who claim that the number of trains supplied are insufficient. With the continuation of the work, the disruption of the daily routine of Modi’in residents continues – and at the height of the travel season, Ben-Gurion Airport is also a resident.

As part of the work, the stations will be shut down in both directions from Wednesday, August 1, 21:00 to Sunday, August 5, at 4:00. These stations will be closed again from Wednesday, August 8, from 21:00 to Sunday, 12 August at 04:00.

The railway, on the Nahariya-Modi’in line, will start and end service in the Tel Aviv Center – Savidor stop. The Transportation Ministry will add additional buses to the 111 line between Modi’in and Tel Aviv to assist travelers, as well as running shuttles around the clock to Ben-Gurion Airport.

The Modi’in stop has been shut every weekend since February 2018 from the early hours of Fridays to Sunday morning. In addition, in recent months the station has also closed on weekdays for long periods, for example six days at the end of last month.

Israel Railways responded last Thursday, 14 Menachem Av: “As part of the final construction of the express line to Jerusalem, which will be the first electric line in Israel, orderly work is being carried out to electrify the Modi’in-Ben-Gurion Airport-Tel Aviv segment.

“This was done after the route of the line between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with its bridges and tunnels, was completed in full, and the electricity infrastructure in the Jerusalem-Mishmar Ayalon section was completed.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)