CAIRO – Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Industry and Transport Minister Kamel el-Wazir on Friday witnessed the signing of a contract to modernize the systems of the first line of the Greater Cairo Metro.
The contract was signed between Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) and a consortium of France’s Colas Rail, Egypt’s Orascom Construction and Japan’s Hitachi.
The deal was signed by NAT Chairman Tareq Gewaily and CEO of Colas Rail Salim Helal, in the presence of French Ambassador to Egypt Eric Chevallier.
Under the contract, the metro signaling system, including trackside signals, communications, central control, metro electromechanical works, Overhead electrification (OHE) system, aerial network and railway works, will be overhauled to safely manage train movements and spacing.
The transport minister said this deal falls within the framework of the Transport Ministry’s overall plan to develop the mobile units and operating systems of Cairo Metro Line 1, with a total length of 44 km. This line extends from Helwan station to New Elmarg station.
It also aims at keeping pace with the “green mass transportation” system, which is environmentally friendly and operationally efficient, Wazir said, noting that Cairo Metro Line 1 is the first subway line in Africa and the Middle East. It began operating in 1987, nearly 40 years ago, and is considered the backbone of the Greater Cairo metro network.
The minister said that modernizing the metro systems will be carried out, in conjunction with the overhauling of the fleet of mobile units, including 23 trains, in addition to manufacturing and supplying 55 new air-conditioned trains for the line to accommodate the growing number of passengers after finalizing the metro network.
Cairo Metro Line 1’s current ridership is 1.5 million passengers per day, he further noted.
