A major African city has announced it is upgrading their impressive metro system in a bid to cut down on pollution and boost reliability.
The National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) in Egypt has announced that work has begun on Line 1 of the Cairo Metro system in a five-year contract that will cost €800 million (£663 million).
The work carried out by Colas Rail, Orascom Construction and Hitachi Rail will see a number of improvements to the line, which is used by more than 1.5 million passengers each day.
These include upgrading the power supply and electro-mechanical systems found in the 35 different stations found on the lines, at-grade sections and tunnels.
Telecommunications infrastructure will also see a boost in a bid to help drivers contact one another more effectively in the event of an emergency.
First opened in 1987, the Cairo Metro was the first of its kind to have been constructed in Africa and the Middle East and currently features three lines.
Line 1 features no fewer than 35 different stations, spanning a 44.3km (27.5 mile) distance from Helwan to New El Marg station.
At peak times the trains, which feature nine carts, typically arrive at 3.5 minute intervals and can run at speeds of up to 62mph.
The upgrades made by the three companies hope to bring the line into the 21st century, making the service more reliable and safer for passengers, whilst also reducing emissions and running costs.
Organisers are also hoping that, with the upgrades in place, the service will run even more frequently, with targets of trains arriving into stations every two minutes.
Work on the project began in October 2024, but is unlikely to be completed until some point in 2029.
Nevertheless, NAT have reassured residents of Cairo that the construction work will not interrupt regular operations on the line.
Earlier in 2024, upgrade work on Line 3 of the Cairo Metro was completed, which also helped to improve the efficiency and safety of the popular service.
Work carried out took place over three phases and helped to increase the top speed of trains to around 50mph whilst also accommodating up to 60,000 passengers in each direction per hour.
Three workshops were also improved during the upgrade, helping to quickly repair any trains with faults, whilst 78 miles of track was also improved.
