French firm Alstom will upgrade signalling systems on Egypt’s Beni Suef-Asyut line under the terms of a $110m (Euro100m) contract secured from the Eyptian National Railways (ENR) organisation.
The contract also covers maintenance of the systems.
The Beni Suef-Asyut line is 240 km long, and Alstom will supply its Smartlock system, replacing the current and out-dated electro mechanical equipment. The contract also covers trackside equipment and communications systems.
Alstom says the upgrade will boost rail traffic potential by more than 80%, meaning more trains can be kept in circulation on the network.
The World Bank has financed the project, and the ENR has committed to modernising its entire signalling system. Currently, the ENR covers well over 5000 km of track, transporting 500 million passengers annually (1.4 million per day), and over six million tonnes of cargo every year. That makes it the largest passenger and goods railway in the Arab world.
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