Egypt’s Minister of Transport, Kamel Al-Wazir, conducted surprise inspections of Cairo’s main railway and metro hubs on Monday, ordering measures to ensure smooth operations ahead of an expected surge in passengers returning from the Eid al-Adha holiday.
The inspections at Ramses Railway Station and the Al-Shohadaa metro interchange aimed to confirm that all necessary preparations were in place to handle the return journeys of citizens from across the country, which are expected to peak from Monday.
At Ramses station, Al-Wazir inspected the external plaza, ticket counters, and platforms, monitoring passenger flow through the electronic ticket gates. He stressed the need for 24/7 maintenance teams to address any gate malfunctions promptly and called for measures to prevent overcrowding. He also directed officials to improve signage, increase the number of rubbish bins, and maintain cleanliness in both stations and trains around the clock.
During his tour of the platforms, the minister noted that a train arriving from Aswan had windows that had been shattered by thrown stones. In response, he called for continued public awareness campaigns to combat what he described as a “dangerous phenomenon.” He urged cooperation with local communities, religious leaders, and education officials to hold seminars highlighting the risks of such acts, which endanger passengers and staff and cause costly damage to railway property.
The minister stated that all senior railway officials must be present at stations to supervise operations and ensure schedules are maintained. Interacting with passengers, who reportedly praised the current service levels, El-Wazir reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to a comprehensive five-point plan for developing the railway system. This includes upgrading rolling stock, modernising infrastructure like tracks and stations, improving signalling systems, developing workshops, and training personnel.
Later, Al-Wazir conducted a similar surprise inspection at the Al-Shohadaa metro station, a key interchange for the city’s first and second lines.
He instructed metro officials to be prepared for the immediate deployment of extra trains to any station showing signs of congestion as travellers return. He also ordered all senior metro leaders to be present across the network to monitor passenger traffic and provide the ministry with hourly reports on all three lines.
The minister emphasised that these efforts align with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s directives to expand a network of “sustainable and environmentally friendly green mass transit systems” that offer the highest level of service to the public.
