After nine months without a decision, the Transport Ministry's search committee chose Avi Chaliva to chair the Metro Authority, the government body responsible for advancing the largest infrastructure project in Israel's history. The appointment requires government approval.
Chaliva currently heads the senior division for government ministries and auxiliary units, overseeing guidance and control for about 50 ministries. On the same day the ministry approved another senior appointment: Avner Flor as chairman of Israel Railways.
The appointment comes at a critical moment. The Metro Authority, which is meant to remove regulatory obstacles and coordinate between ministries, had been operating with only three employees and had no permanent head since Uzi Yitzhaki left about six months earlier.
Meanwhile NTA is advancing the first infrastructure tenders and setting up municipal metro offices, so a strong, properly staffed authority is expected to play a key role in keeping the project on schedule.