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Morocco has approved the expropriation of land for the 430-kilometre Marrakech–Kenitra high-speed rail line, a key infrastructure project launched in April and slated for completion before the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Morocco’s official gazette said the Ministry of Transport approved multiple land transfers across three regions, Rabat-Salé-Kenitra, Casablanca-Settat, and Marrakech-Safi, to make way for the project.
It said the national railway operator, ONCF, will proceed with expropriations under a 2023 royal decree governing public acquisition procedures. These cover both agricultural plots and built-up properties, some under mortgages or legal claims, with compensation to be processed through ONCF.
The Marrakech–Kenitra line represents the second phase of Morocco’s high-speed rail programme, following the Tangier–Casablanca route inaugurated in 2018.
The new segment, estimated at 53 billion Moroccan dirhams ($5.1 billion), aims to link the country’s main economic and tourist centres, cutting travel time between Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city, and Marrakech to under two hours.
ONCF officials said construction will follow a strict timeline to align with the World Cup. The project is also central to Morocco’s broader transport modernisation strategy, which includes upgrading urban mobility and integrating African and Euro-Mediterranean connectivity.
(Writing by N Saeed; Editing by Anoop Menon)
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