Constantine tramway

The Constantine Tramway is a tramway network serving Constantine, the third-largest city in Algeria. Opened in 2013, the tramway is operated by the Société d'exploitation des tramways (SETRAM) and owned by the Entreprise Métro d'Alger (EMA). The network currently consists of one 18.4 kilometre long line connecting Constantine with the nearby town of Ali Mendjeli. A second route, running to El Khroub via the airport, is currently planned.

First planned in the early 2000s, the tramway experienced several delays and cost overruns during the course of its completion. Construction lasted from 2008 to 2013, and the tramway opened on the 4th of July 2013. A southern extension to the network added 10 kilometres to the line and opened in stages, first on the 3rd of June 2019, and later on the 29th of September 2021.

The first plan for a tramway in Constantine dates back to the early 2000s, with feasibility studies being started in 2004. Originally, the tramway's single line was meant to start at the Place des Martyrs (Martyrs' Square) in the city centre of Constantine and run south to the Zouaghi district, with a later extension further south to the town of Ali Mendjeli being planned.

From its inception, the project had been mired in controversy and local opposition, mostly due to the requirement of the removal of historical buildings along its route in the city centre. The biggest conflict point was with the demolition of the Coudiat prison, an Algerian national heritage site which had listed status since 1992. In addition, locals also opposed the construction of the tramway due to the disruption it would bring to the city's road network.

The design, tender, supervision of construction, and management of the tramway project was awarded to a consortium of Ingérop and Semaly (now Egis Rail) in December 2005, with Ingérop acting as the team leader in charge of all works related to the tramway. Work would be carried out on behalf of the Entreprise Métro d'Alger (EMA), who awarded the contract.

Construction on the line was originally meant to start in April 2007, however this date was later postponed. At around the same time that the line was supposed to start construction, the most controversial part of the project, that being the section of the line within the city centre, was cancelled and the line was cut back to Benabdelmalek Ramdhane, as the result of a presidential decree not to demolish the Coudiat prison.

In November 2007, a consortium of Alstom and Pizzarotti won the tender for turnkey construction of the tramway, with Pizzarotti being in charge of the civil engineering works, while Alstom supplied the tram vehicles, carried out track laying, and constructed the overhead power supply, signalling, and telecommunications equipment. Surveying work on the route of the tramway was completed in May 2008.

Construction on the line, from Benabdelmalek Ramdhane in the city centre south to Zouaghi Slimane over a distance of 7.6 kilometres, began on the 2nd of August 2008 with the demolition of the Ben Abdelmalek Ramdhane stadium's stands, clearing the way for the tramway's route.