Egypt’s Cabinet has agreed to sign a contract with a French Corporate Federation to begin expanded work on Egypt’s third Metro line, which is estimated to cost of EGP 141.187m.

The agreement came after a meeting between cabinet members and Prime Minster Hesham Qandil.

The decision was based on Article 78 of Law 89 passed in 1998 governing Egypt’s bidding sector, which stipulates that administrative agencies can increase or decrease the value of contracts by 25% in the event that previously agreed-upon bids do not identify or stipulate an end-date for specified projects.

Plans include the construction of internal columns as wall tablets in new stations, in addition to the construction of 60cm-thick polystyrene platforms located below the tile floors of the Al-Maa’rad Metro station.

The Arab Contractors Federation, in conjunction with the French company Feense, is set to construct the new line’s civilian facilities, with the federation also working with the Alstom and Alcatel Corporate Federation to construct the line’s control signals.