Minister of Transport Hesham Arafat said on Monday that the government is carrying out Egypt’s largest railway development project in cooperation with the private sector, the total cost of which is expected to reach LE55 billion.
During a rail industry conference and exhibition in Dubai on March 12-13, Arafat added that Egypt will implement projects costing LE120 billion, including the third line of the Cairo metro with costs totaling LE90 billion. The new metro line will transfer around four million passengers through 27 tunnel stations and 12 surface stations with a length of 48 kilometers.
Arafat reviewed projects that the Ministry of Transport already has begun implementing, including the establishment of new railway lines such as the high-speed train project between Ain Sukhna and al-Alamein as well as between 6th October City and Aswan, in addition to monorails in 6th October City the New Administrative Capital.
Egypt’s House of Representatives recently passed a law that enables the private sector to operate, maintain and develop the railway networks in cooperation with Egypt’s National Railway Authority.
The railway conference was attended by a large number of transport and communications ministers from around the Arab region and the world. The gathering uncovered the completion of the first phase of a railway project linking the Gulf countries, which will be completed in 2025.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
