Minister of Transportation and Road Safety Miri Regev conducted a professional tour of the Zion Rashbi site in the town of Meron, together with Deputy Minister Uri Maklev, with the aim of closely observing the extensive preparations of the Ministry of Transportation, which provides transportation services from all over the country to Meron and back on Lag BaOmer.
The tour, which took place yesterday, opened at the Prud parking lot. The Minister of Transportation received a review from the head of the Public Transportation Authority, Ran Shadmi, on the operation of the terminals that will serve as a departure point for returning to all major destinations across the country. Shadmi explained that the TAT operators instructed the drivers to operate using the 'fill up and go' method. Shadmi noted that the train is also prepared to return about 25,000 passengers from the Kv Karmiel station.
Drawing lessons from last year, the Ministry of Transportation worked to signpost the areas and leading roads to make it easier for passengers to find their way around. Rest tents, changing areas, restrooms, and shade were also placed on the platforms for the benefit of the traveling public.
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Minister Regev asked to ensure that there will be a distribution of water bottles and a wide deployment of stewards to provide information to the public ascending the mountain.
In addition, this year the Ministry of Transportation has provided rest rooms for drivers where meals will be provided to allow them to remain fit and refreshed. Police officers briefed Minister Regev on the preparedness of emergency bodies and the placement of police officers in parking lots. As part of the lessons learned, an electrician will also be present on duty at each parking lot.
The minister asked to hear about the roads leading to the mountain, and received an explanation from a Northern District Police Officer, who spoke about the close cooperation between the Ministry of Transportation and the police in order to plan the flow of traffic on the roads.
The minister ordered solutions to be found in the event of stormy weather with regard to the dirt parking lots.
In the Ministry of Transportation's situation room, Minister Regev received a comprehensive overview of the plans for carrying out approximately 3,500 trips as part of Operation Meron, the shuttle system for the Karmiel train, and this year's renewal of additional trains during Lag BaOmer night for those returning from Meron.
The minister asked to ensure that representatives from the TAC operation would be present in the situation room throughout the operation, and also ordered tighter synchronization with the Traffic Division of the Israel Police.
After a prayer at the Rashbi's memorial, a concluding discussion was held at the Bnei Akiva complex, adjacent to the tomb building, with the participation of senior police officers and TAH operations personnel.
Minister Regev took the opportunity to thank the operators for their resourcefulness during the disaster two years ago when they woke up drivers and immediately reinforced the buses to assist in the evacuation from the mountain in accordance with police instructions.
Representatives of the Ministry of Transportation informed the discussion that ticket sales for the Hilulah ended at 4:00 PM and that approximately 160,000 tickets were sold - of which 100,000 were for the Tchadz, which represents 3,000 trips. "Except for off-peak hours, all tickets allocated for sale were sold," the representatives informed.
A representative of the company 'Nativ Express', the largest public transport operator in the celebration, expressed appreciation to the management of the Ministry of Transportation and the professional teams for the comprehensive preparations. Project manager Yossi Deitch also joined in and said: "We worked together shoulder to shoulder around the clock, I have only good words for the Ministry of Transportation.".
The discussion raised the issue of preparing for rainy and stormy weather, as indicated by some of the forecasts, as such a situation would have an impact on the use of the dirt parking lots.
Minister Miri Regev instructed the ministry's senior officials to sit with the project manager and the police to examine each complex and provide a solution to prevent in advance any problems that could disrupt access to the festival, and if no solution is found, another parking lot will be located.
The Minister of Transportation demanded that a directive be issued to drivers and private drivers to drive with extra caution in the fog expected on Sunday. An Israel Railways representative updated on the addition of special trains at night from Karmiel and their preparations for evacuation in the event of an emergency, God forbid.
The minister once again ordered all companies not to carry out infrastructure work during the festivities.
Police representatives informed that priority will be given in the telephone system to Ministry of Transportation personnel, and a joint command center has even been established for both bodies, with a Ministry of Transportation drone that will also transmit aerial photographs to the police.
A representative of the Hiloula spokespersons' organization, Meni Hadad, updated that ticket sales went smoothly, thanks in part to the information that accompanied the process, and noted that there is full cooperation and synchronization between all the emergency agency spokespersons.
At the end of the discussion, it was agreed that a lessons learned meeting would be held for all parties ahead of next year's celebration.
Minister Miri Regev: "The Ministry of Transportation is budgeting for Operation Meron and has been preparing for months for the largest transportation event in Israel. It is important to us to enable hundreds of thousands of revelers to reach Meron easily and comfortably, but no less important, to return to their homes safely.
""Our management-level professionals are present throughout the entire celebration in the situation room and at the terminals in Meron to closely monitor and manage the operation.
""I would like to thank all the parties involved in the event, Deputy Minister Uri Maklev, the jubilation projector Yossi Deitch, and the Israel Police for their impressive commitment and preparation.".
We are two years after the terrible disaster in Meron and are still under the difficult feelings. I wish all the immigrants to Zion the Rashbi that their prayers will be accepted, and that they will return safely to their homes.""
Deputy Minister Uri Maklev: "The Ministry of Transportation has been preparing for many months for the success of the event. The collaboration with the Israel Police and the Projector is the recipe for the success of the event. We all approach the Rashbi celebration with a sense of sacredness that we will be able to provide reliable and available service to the public. We have made revolutions in the field of transportation this year, new parking lots prepared to accommodate the masses with accommodation and comfort areas for passengers. There was mental flexibility here from everyone for the benefit of the event.".
