Egypt’s Transport Ministry has begun procedures to establish an Egyptian-French company in partnership with the French RATP company to manage the operation and maintenance of the third line of the Cairo metro (Imbaba-Cairo Airport).
Sources with the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the Authority will own 80 percent of the company’s shares while the French company will own 20 percent.
NAT spokesperson Hassan Tawfik said that the Authority awaits the amendment of a law relating to the NAT so as to allow the establishment of the company.
Egypt aims to benefit from the French company’s expertise in metro operation, Tawfik said, adding that the NAT will have the full authority to determine ticket prices, while the French company will have no say in the matter.
Chairman of the Egyptian Company for Metro Management and Operation Ali Fadaly said the establishment of the joint company is an important step to ease pressure on the current transportation management, especially in the Greater Cairo region.
In related news, Fadaly and Managing Director of Metro Maintenance and Operation Khaled Sabra inspected the cooling and ventilation plants (RP1-RP2) of the first metro line ahead of the summer season.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
