The Prime Minister inspected the implementation of LRT project “Al-Salam – New Administrative Capital – Tenth of Ramadan”, accompanied by Engineer Kamel Al Wazir - Minister of Transport, Major General Khaled Abdel Aal - Cairo Governor, Dr. Essam Wali - Head of the National Authority for Tunnels, chairmen of the executing companies, and a number of leaders of the National Authority for Tunnels.
The tour began from the new Heliopolis station, where the Prime Minister and his companions boarded the project’s railway test train to Badr station; to inspect the readiness of the railway works at that distance, and also learn about the executive position of the stations, including: Al Obour, Al Mostakbal, Al Shorouk, and follow up on the work being carried out at Badr Interchange Station, from which two LRT trains will separate: LRT heading south to the capital, and the other heading north to Geneva and Ismailia Road, then the 10th of Ramadan.
Eng. Kamel Al Wazir stressed the importance of the project, as it is a new development artery for the urban communities represented in Obour, Al Mostakbal, Al Shorouk, New Heliopolis, Badr, the Industrial Zone, the 10th of Ramadan, and the New Administrative Capital, as well as exchanging it for passenger transport services with metro line 3 at Adly Mansour station, and exchanges with the High Speed Train (Ain Sokhna – El Alamein) at the central station; as well as exchanges with “Monorail” east of the Nile which serves the New Administrative Capital at the City of Arts and Culture Station.
He explained that the project is being implemented in three phases; where the 1st phase starts from Adly Mansour station until the Capital Airport Station with 65.63 km length and 11 surface stations. The 2nd phase starts from the Capital Airport Station until the City of Arts and Culture Station with a length of 3.18 km, and includes one higher station, which is the Arts and Culture Station. The 3rd phase begins from the Cathedral Station of the Nativity to the Central Station of the Capital, with a length of 18.5 km, 4 stations, including 3 higher stations and a surface station. He pointed out that based on a directive from the political leadership, the project’s route will be extended to serve the large population mass in the 10th of Ramadan City, which is the 4th phase starts from the Knowledge City station to the 10th of Ramadan City Station, with a length of 16 km. Thus, the total length of the route is 103.3 km with 19 stations.
The Prime Minister and his companions continued to move by train for the railway works tests for the project from Badr station, to reach LRT workshops to follow up their implementation rates, which include 26 buildings, with an area of 80 feddans, and an implementation rate of 82%. He inspected one of the LRT’s trains which launched by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on the beginning of the current month at Alexandria Port. He reviewed the plan for the pilot operation of the trains, and the plan for the arrival of the rest of the trains.
Eng. Kamel Al Wazir explained that the total percentage of implementing the works of the mobile units of the project amounted to 74%, adding that it is planned to supply the third and fourth trains and a diesel tractor for the workshop at the end of this month, provided that the rest of the trains will arrive successively so that the last train will be arrived in December 2021, among the fleet of necessary mobile units to operate, there are 22 trains at a cost of $227 million, which are supplied by the Chinese company CREC / AVIC. The train consists of 6 locomotives and has a design speed of 120 km / h.
He pointed out that the Chinese JV of “AVIC / CREC”, the main contractor for the project, was assured of the speedy completion of the supply and installation of all systems, testing and approval of the National Authority for Tunnels, as well as the implementation of all works in parallel. He stated that the implementation of construction and finishing works at the stations and along the track is almost complete, and rail works are ongoing along the track and in the workshop.
The Minister explored the executive position of the project’s bridges, which include track and car bridges, as well as fence and workshop works. He explained that the percentage of civil works implementation for the “first and second” phases amounted to 92%, and all 4 car bridges in the project were completed, and they were operated in front of the traffic, namely: Haykstep, Al Mostakbal 1, Al Mostakbal 2, and Al Shorouk, in addition to 7 bridges for the LRT’s route, which is: “Ismailia, Geneva, Al Robiki 1 and 2, Suez, Capital 1, and Capital 2, with a total implementation rate of 97.5%.
The minister explained that the project also includes 3 tunnels, which have been 100% completed, namely: a car tunnel at the capital’s parks, and 2 tunnels for the train route: New Heliopolis and Badr. The project’s electromechanical works implementation rate reached 50%; whereas, the catenary poles that supply the train with electricity are being installed, and cables for electrical power, signals and communications are being laid, and the railway works are being carried out at a rate of 70%.
The Minister of Transport said that the stations will be commercially used to increase the economic return of the project, pointing out that there are directives from the political leadership to establish waiting areas next to all LRT stations; as a facilitation for the citizens.
It is noteworthy that a contract was signed with the French company “RATP DEV” to manage, operate and maintain the LRT during the period of implementation and finishing of the stations; In order to meet any demands of the company during the implementation, as well as for the company to be ready for operation after the completion of the construction work, the company is currently contracting with the staff; in preparation for operation.