Egypt's Transport Minister Kamel al-Wazir stated that the safety of citizens and property is a "top priority" during an inspection of the Cairo Metro Line 4 project, following minor ground subsidence at a residential building near the Malek el-Saleh station site. Residents of Building 30 and an adjacent property were evacuated as a precautionary measure after a sudden water pipe burst, and provided accommodation in nearby hotels in the Manial district. The evacuation will continue until soil injection and treatment works are completed to secure the building and the station structure.
Minister Kamel al-Wazir, accompanied by National Authority for Tunnels Chairman Tarek Gewaily, visited the site to monitor emergency technical procedures implemented after a sudden water pipe burst caused minor subsidence at the corner of “Building 30” in the station’s vicinity. Al-Wazir ordered a comprehensive periodic technical report on the results of inspections and measurements. He confirmed that the NAT and the executing companies are committed to the highest safety and quality standards, maintaining full coordination with Cairo Governorate and the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater.
The inspection also covered the broader progress of the first phase of Line 4, which spans 19 km and includes 17 stations. The project, being executed by Egyptian companies under the supervision of international consultants, connects 6th of October City to the El Fustat station in Old Cairo. According to the ministry, four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are currently active in the first part of phase one. The first machine has reached the Grand Egyptian Museum station, the second is at the Remayah station, while the third and fourth are en route to the Madkour and Talbia stations, respectively.
In the second part of the first phase, assembly is underway for two additional TBMs at El Fustat station. The first is scheduled to begin drilling toward Malek el-Saleh in mid-March, followed by the second machine in mid-April. The Ministry of Transport is also conducting studies for three further phases of the project:
- Phase Two: Extending 26.9 km from El Fustat to New Cairo with 21 stations, intersecting with Metro Line 6 at Sayyeda Aisha.
- Phase Three: A 16.3 km stretch with 10 stations connecting Hadayek al-Ashgar to Al-Hosary Square, linking with the West Nile Monorail.
- Phase Four: Extending 38.7 km with eight stations to reach the New Administrative Capital, providing an exchange service with the Light Rail Transit (LRT) at the Capital Airport station.
Upon completion, the entire line is expected to transport approximately 1.5m passengers per day, according to ministry projections.