The project will improve safety on one of Egypt’s busiest railways, with the installation of nine electronic interlockings and replacement of 11 level crossings.

As part of the contract Thales will also be responsible for overhauling associated power systems and the refurbishment of technical buildings.

Thales has already been awarded contracts to resignal the Benha - Alexandria section, as well as the Asyut - Nagh Hammadi stretch of the Cairo - Aswan line.

In April 2016 ENR awarded Siemens a contract to resignal the Benha - Zagazig - Port Said and Zagazig Abu - Kebir lines.

The resignalling of key main lines is part of the ENR Restructuring Project, which is being financed with the aid of a $US 270m loan from the World Bank.