Lieutenant General Eng. Kamel Al Wazir - Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, inspected the work sites of the High-Speed Rail Network – Line 1 (Al Ain Al Sokhna – El Alamein – Marsa Matrouh), in the distance from the South Helwan at the Nile Crossing Bridge to the intersection of the High-Speed Rail bridge with the Autostrad.
This came within the framework of implementing the directives of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to expand the establishment of a network of green, sustainable, eco-friendly mass transportation means, and following up on the implementation of Al Ain Al Sokhna/Alexandria logistics corridor, which consists of (Al Ain Al Sokhna Port – High-Speed Rail Network “ Line 1” – the dry port in 10th of Ramadan – the railway line “Al Rubiki/10th of Ramadan/Belbeis” – Grand Alexandria Port).
This was attended by leaders of the Ministry of Transport, Eng. Sayed Al Wazir - Vice Chairman of the Arab Contractors Company, and Eng. Heba Abu El Ela – Board Member of the Arab Contractors Company.
The tour began with the Minister inspecting the construction works of the South Helwan Bridge over the Nile from Al-Tebbin Road (extension of the Nile Corniche) to Cairo/Aswan Agricultural Road, where the Minister directed to intensify the works, implementation according to high quality standards and to complete the bridge, which is 2.520 km long, according to the time schedule. Then the Minister inspected Cairo Station in the Helwan, which serves the cities of Helwan, 15 May, and all of the southern Cairo, where the Minister followed up on the final finishing of the station and reviewed the passenger traffic plan from its main entrance until reaching the ticket halls and moving between the platforms and the availability of elevators to facilitate passenger movement, the plan of optimal administrative and investment exploitation of all spaces in the station.
He also reviewed the status of the finishing works at the other stations. The Minister directed that all work be carried out in accordance with the latest international standards and the optimal commercial exploitation of all the spaces.
The Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development, Minister of Industry and Transport, reviewed what has been completed and is being delivered from the track to the JV of (Siemens/Orascom/Arab Contractors), as well as the work of implementing the basalt flooring and installing the electric rods and catenary poles, after which the electromechanical works will be implemented.
The Minister also reviewed the time schedule for manufacturing and supplying the mobile units for the first line of the network, where the manufacturing of 3 express trains (Velaro) has been completed, and 2 more trains are being manufactured out of a total of 15 express trains allocated for the line. The manufacturing of 5 regional trains (Desiro) has also been completed, one of which has arrived in Cairo, and 7 more trains are being manufactured out of a total of 34 regional trains allocated for the line, in addition to the completion of the manufacturing of two electric freight locomotives out of a total of 14 freight locomotives.
The Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport explained that the High-Speed Rail network, which will cover all parts of the Republic, in addition to being development arteries, will serve new and existing urban and industrial areas, such as the industrial areas in (Helwan, 15th of May, Borg El Arab, 6th of October, New Minya, New Assiut and other industrial areas), serving tourist areas (cultural, historical, religious and coastal) in Egypt, such as serving tourist areas in Giza, Sohag, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and the Red Sea), tourist places in Egypt and serving new agricultural areas in the New Delta, Mostaqbal Misr, Janat Misr, West Minya, Toshka and East El-Oweinat, in addition to creating logistical axes linking the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, the north and south of the country, and linking industrial areas (production areas) to seaports (export centers), linking modern agricultural development areas (New Delta – West Minya – Toshka – Mostaqbal Misr - ...) to consumption areas and export ports, connecting tourist areas (diving tourism and beaches in the Red Sea – cultural tourism in each of the pyramids Giza) which allows for the diversity of tourism programs in a single tourist trip. This network will also contribute to achieving integration with airports, seaports, and land routes to achieve multi-modal transportation and links between seaports, dry ports, and logistics centers, as well as serving the goals of sustainable urban development, population redistribution, creating new development axes, and reducing environmental pollution. Pointing out that the first line of the three-High-Speed Rail Network provides thousands of direct and indirect job opportunities.
It is worth noting that the first line project of the network (Al Ain Al Sokhna – El Alamein – Marsa Matrouh) extends from Sokhna to October Gardens, then branches south to El Ayatt and north to Alexandria, El Alamein and Marsa Matrouh, with a length of about 660 km, and includes 21 stations (13 express train stations and 8 regional stations) in addition to 1 control and command center. This line is part of Al Ain Al Sokhna/Dekheila logistics corridor.