Egypt's New Administrative Capital, to which state institutions and employees are migrating to by 2020, is getting a monorail link to Cairo's eastern areas, presumably New Cairo and Nasr City. The project was first announced in 2018, and Canadian aerospace and railways manufacturer, Bombardier Inc., has revealed that it's been announced as the preferred bidder for the contract which will see it manufacture, supply and operate the new monorail system in Egypt.

At an estimated cost of EGP 65 billion, the 54-km monorail is crucial to the government's plan to relocate masses to the new capital project, as well as ease mass transit in and outside the new capital. Bombardier Inc. said its potential share of the project could amount to EGP 43 billion, which will include a 30-year operation contract.

The Canadian company is said will deliver to project in partnership with Egypt's Orascom Construction and Arab Contractors - the country's two biggest construction companies - while trains are to be built in Bombardier's factories in the UK.

Bombardier Inc. is reputable in the field, having developed the above-ground, driverless Innovia Monorail, which it said will be the same ones that will be used in Egypt. They travel at 80 km/hour and, with 300 of them set to be delivered to Egypt, can accommodate as much as 48,000 passengers an hour in each direction, according to Canada-based MooseJaw Today. The company hasn't announced a timeline for the project.

Photo: Innovia Monorail