Construction works of a new railway station in Bashteel in Giza Egypt is set to commence. Transport Minister Kamel al-Wazir confirmed the reports and said that preparations are underway.
Speaking during his tour to the old Ramses train station the Minister said the project which will sit over an area of 32 acres, aims at easing congestion on the latter station. The Ramses train station, also known as Misr Station is the main railway station of Cairo, Egypt.
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The Ramses train station
It was initially built as a terminal of the first rail link from Alexandria to Cairo in 1856. The current building was erected in 1892 and upgraded 103 years later (1955). It has ever since been undergoing major modernization as of 2001 and the most recent 2011 when the station was fully upgraded and air conditioned with new marble flooring across the station and addition of escalators.
To date the Ramses train station serves approximately 20% of the total daily commuter traffic which is about 300,000 passengers boarding and alighting 130 trains that all together make about 856 trips on a daily basis.
Former Transport Minister Hisham Arafat had earlier in January announced a contract for the implementation and construction of the first phase of the railway service complex in the Bashteel at a total cost of over US $20m.
Hisham Arafat outlined the intentions of the project as investing the land of Bashteel in North Giza for two key activities which are, the services required for the Egyptian Railways Authority and an investment project in commercial fields, administrative fields and future train stations.
Arafat further stated that the Railway Authority contracted with the Nile Company for the construction of roads on January 1, to implement the first phase of the project, which is scheduled to be completed within two years.
Wazir said that work within the Railways Authority continues to provide good service to citizens and visitors from all over the world and he there for insists on continuing to visit Ramses station and the railway authority to follow up the development process.
