The Egyptian National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) is seeking advisors for its two high-speed monorail projects – the 53-km-long New Administrative Capital line and 42-km-long 6th of October City line in Cairo.
The NAT had recently launched an international tender seeking advisory firms to submit their technical and financial bids.
The winning group will be responsible for delivering the consulting services for both the monorail lines, said the statement from NAT.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian government said it had secured funding worth €2.7 million ($3.1 million) from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for two of its key railway projects – modernization of Tanta-Damietta rail line and the renewal of Cairo Metro Line 2.
The funding will also support the feasibility study including an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the project aimed at improving railways safety, availability and reliability of a vital rail corridor through the Nile Delta.
A co-operation agreement was signed by Egyptian Ministry of International Cooperation (MOIC) with the EIB for a €1.5 million grant for Tanta – El Mansoura – Damietta railway project.
As per the deal, EIB will fund the modernization works for the 118-km line which includes track-doubling works for 65 km between El Mansoura and Damietta, the installation of new signalling systems on the whole line and railway stations’ improvement.
In addition, a freight yard and a freight link to Damietta port are expected to be constructed under the project, it stated.
The line is part of a railway corridor linking Cairo to one of the major Egyptian Mediterranean ports, Damietta, and contributes to the improvement of the Egyptian railway network.
Flavia Palanza, EIB Director of Operations for Eastern and Southern Neighborhood, said: “With this new loan, the Egyptian government intends to push ahead with the upgrading and expansion of its railway infrastructure.”
Ivan Surkos, Ambassador of the EU to Egypt, said: “The EU is largely supporting the government of Egypt in expanding its transport infrastructure through a number of projects such as Phase Three of the third Cairo Metro line or the Alexandria Raml Tram.”
“The current upgrade of Tanta – El Mansoura – Damietta railway goes in line of the EU policy which aims at improving living standards of millions of Egyptian commuters using this important artery through the implementation of an enhanced quality and safe transport system,” he added.
The second EIB agreement worth €1.2 million was signed with Egyptian National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) under which a feasibility study will be conducted for the renewal of Cairo second metro line.
The study will define and describe the upgrade and renewal of the Line 2 systems, including infrastructure and rolling stock, necessary to meet the capacity and passenger demands of the coming years. It will also support the extension of the life expectancy of the system for 25 more years, said the statement from EIB.
The advisory services will mobilize consultants to do a survey of the current state of all systems and structures of line 2 of the Cairo metro network, and then prepare a functional design and tender documentation to allow the National Tunnel Authority to start procurement of the works, it added.
TradeArabia News Service
17/03/2020
