Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif toured the first phase of Metro Line 3 to follow up the work progress and the performance level and launched the operation of the giant excavator “Nefertari” from Attaba to Bab Al Sha’ria. Dr. Nazif asserted that the underground metro project is a great leap achieved in the era of President Hosni Mubarak. He said "We started with the first and second metro lines and now we are celebrating work at Metro Line 3, which will help meet President Hosni Mubarak's plans for the public transportation projects and resolving Greater Cairo's chronic traffic problem. Everybody expected a delay in the work progress after Bab Al Sha’ria accident but there expectations went in vain, simply because there is a comprehensive cooperation from the contractor. Besides, the launching of the giant excavator “Nefertari”; it is installed completely in a record time consequently we achieve work progress and saving time. Transport Minister said that the this phase is expected to end as scheduled in October 2011, as we promised President Mubarak, pointing out that Metro Line 3 is a real prominent that it will be the first line to cross Cairo horizontally, but Metro lines 1 and 2 are vertical ones.