The consortium, comprising the French Colas Rail (leader, 35%), Orascom Construction (35%) and Hitachi Rail (30%), has signed a EUR850 million contract with the Egyptian National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) to renovate line 1 of the Cairo underground system. The contract involves the modernization of the systems (signals - communications - central control - E&M works - electrical power - overhead network - track works).

This was the first metro line in Africa and the Middle East,  it started operating in 1987 about 40 years ago and is considered the backbone of the Greater Cairo Metro network.   Funding for this project will be provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and L’Agence française de développement (AFD).  The development works for this line will ensure the quality and continuity of the service it provides, to preserve assets, and to reduce maintenance and operating costs. The metro is important as alleviates traffic pressure on Cairo's streets  reducing pollution and travel time.  

The project is expected to start in October 2024 and will run for 64 months, with works being executed without any interruption to commercial operation.  The line systems modernization works will be implemented in conjunction with the development of the fleet of moving units, as (23) trains are currently being rehabilitated, in addition to the manufacture and supply of (55) new air-conditioned trains for the line to accommodate the steady increase in the number of passengers after the completion of the metro network, as the line's capacity reaches 1.5 million passengers/day. Visit http://www.nat.gov.eg/, https://colasrail.com/ and https://orascom.com/ and https://www.hitachirail.com/.  36/24.