Eng. Kamel Al Wazir - Minister of Transport conducted an inspection tour to follow up the implementation rates of the LRT project (Al Salam / New Administrative Capital / 10th of Ramadan City), for the second time in less than a week. He was accompanied by Dr. Essam Wali – Head of National Authority for Tunnels, Major Gen. Sherif Leil – Vice Chairman of NAT, Eng. Sayed Farouk – CEO & Chairman of the Arab Contractors Company and Eng. Ibrahim Mabrouk – Board Member.
His tour started at Adly Mansour station, a central stop that should include an integrated transport complex and an investment trade area. This central station extends over 15 feddans and serves as a meeting point between 5 different means of transport.
The minister was briefed on the efficiency rates of Cairo/Suez line from Adly Mansour to El Robiki which extends to 35km. The Minister urged quick action to complete the central station according to a pre-set timetable and in line with international standards.
Then, the minister inspected the rest of the project’s stations, took a tractor to test the track works of LRT project, in the distance between New Heliopolis station and Badr station with a length of 6 km to assure the completion, readiness, and validity of the track works at that distance. He gave direction to install the electric cables for the poles instantly; besides the accomplishment of access roads connecting the main roads and the parking areas in all stations, especially with the progress in the implementation of the surface planning of the stations, car parks and pedestrian bridges.
The minister also inspected other LRT bridges, as well as the fences and workshop works to check on the implementation rates, as the percentage of civil works implementation for the first and second phases reached 91%, as the project includes 4 car bridges, all of which have been completed and operated experimentally in front of the car movement, which are “Hikestep, Mostakbal 1, Mostakbal 2, and Al Shorouk"; in addition to 7 bridges for the LRT track, which are "Ismailia, Geneva, El Robiki 1 and 2, Suez, Al Asimah 1 and 2", with a total implementation rate of 97%.
The project also includes 3 tunnels that have been 100% completed, a car tunnel at the capital’s parks, and 2 tunnels for the LRT track, which are “New Heliopolis and Badr.” Civil works are also being implemented in the workshop by 75%, which includes 26 buildings. The electromechanical work execution rate for the project reached 57%, where the cantilever poles that feed the LRT with electricity are being installed.
He stressed the need to implement the all works in parallel and quickly import the remaining equipment of the electromechanical systems to be tested by the National Authority for Tunnels ahead of installation. Construction work at the stations is almost over and 2 trains should arrive from China before the end of August for pilot operation to start.
He stressed on completing the manufacturing and supplying of the rest of the trains where the percentage of implementation of the mobile units reached 71.5 %.
The minister also followed up the work of implementing the third phase of the project, which includes stations: (The Nativity Cathedral - Strategic Command - International Sports City - The Central Capital, which is the interchange station with the High Speed Train). The minister declared that under the fourth phase, the LRT will be extended to the heart of 10th of Ramadan City in line with directives of the political leadership to serve the citizens (students and workers in the Industrial Zone residing in 10th of Ramadan City and the people there) so that the length of the entire track will be 103.3 km and 19 stations after adding stations (West of 10th of Ramadan City - 10th of Ramadan City - City Center).
It is worth mentioning that the project is a new development artery for the new urban communities (Al Obour – Al Mostakbal – Al Shorouk - New Heliopolis - Badr - Industrial Zone and 10th of Ramadan City - New Administrative Capital) in addition to its exchange of passenger transport services with the 3rd metro line at Adly Mansour station; with the HST (Al Ain Al Sokhna / El Alamein) at the Central Station and with the Monorail of the Administrative Capital at the Arts and Culture City Station.