Civil works on the Red Line are being carried out by a 51:49 joint venture between China Railway Tunnel Group and Solel Boneh Infrastructure, Israel, under a Shekels 3.1bn ($US 820m) design-build contract awarded by Tel Aviv Metropolitan Mass Transit System (NTA) earlier this year.
The 24km line will link Tel Aviv's mainline station in Petah Tikva with Bnei Brak, Jaffa, and Bat Yam with 34 stations, 10 of them underground. Commercial services will begin in 2021.
According to Israeli financial daily Globes, NTA has also received preliminary approval for the north-south Green Line, which at 39km will be the longest line on the proposed eight-line network. Public consultation is expected to begin on the project soon.
