Will Casablancans pay 7 DH for a tram ticket in June?

The long-awaited launch of new tram lines (T3 and T4), scheduled for June next year, is raising concerns among citizens. Together with an increase in ticket prices to compensate for the budget deficit, the commissioning of these lines is at the center of discussions among Casablanca residents. However, this increase will not exceed Dh1, according to officials.

Increasing ticket prices to overcome the budget deficit is the solution that the Municipality of Casablanca has decided to implement from the launch of the two new lines (T3&T4) in June next year.

With an annual deficit of more than 100 million dirhams, the first and second tram lines require special attention to ensure their long-term financial viability.

To achieve this, the municipality makes a contribution that varies between 30% and 40% of the ticket price, which is currently set at 6 dirhams. In addition, a subsidy of 200 million dirhams is provided annually to public transport, so as not to affect the purchasing power of citizens.

During a recent conference, Nabila Rmili, mayor of the metropolis, revealed that “ To combat the budget deficit caused by the new tram and bus lines, adjustments will be made to the price of tram tickets “. She emphasized in this sense that “ the municipality cannot bear the operating costs of the six lines alone, especially since the first and second sections show an annual deficit of more than 100 million dirhams“.

To remedy this, the municipal council plans to increase the price of tram tickets, given the municipality’s costly contribution to public transport, an unsustainable burden given the accumulated debts. This increase is seen as the only solution to solve the deficit, despite the efforts of the Ministry of the Interior to avoid increasing the burden on citizens who are already suffering from inflation.

Currently set at 6 dirhams, the ticket price benefits from a municipal contribution of 30 to 40%. However, some activists reject this increase, arguing that it would harm the interests of citizens.

It is pertinent to point out that Rmili had previously noted that the actual cost of the tram ticket is 10 dirhams, while passengers currently pay only 6 dirhams, with the difference covered by the city, a similar practice for bus lines.