Egypt's Railway Authority has postponed 13 train services until Wednesday in response to a call for nationwide protests by supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsy on Tuesday, sources said.
The railways organization had earlier announced rail services would be resumed on Tuesday after gaining security approval for trains heading from Cairo to the Nile Delta and Upper Egypt. Trains have been on hold for 17 days in Egypt following political stability in the aftermath of forcible dispersals of pro-Morsy sit-ins at Rabaa al-Adaweya and Giza's al-Nahda Square.
Sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm that police, armed forces and railways representatives approved partial re-opening of rail services, while security would be intensified inside trains and at platforms.
Trains would also be inspected inside workshops by secret police, sources claimed.
Sources added that train drivers had been instructed not to exceed 70 kilometres per hour, rather than the usual 120. Train services will begin at 7 am. Schedules will conform to curfew hours.
Vice-chief of the Railways Authority Gamal Deweidar said halting trains was costing Egypt LE3.5 million in daily losses. That figure had reached LE60 million since travel was first halted.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
