Alstom installed power supply and computer-based smart interlocking systems in Beni Suef-Asyut railway line’s ‘Mallawi’ section. Credit: Alstom.

Alstom has delivered, tested and started the operations of its power supply and interlocking signalling systems in Egypt.

It installed Smartlock 400 GP, a computer-based interlocking signalling system on the rail section.

The two systems were installed on the Mallawi section in the rail line that connects Beni Suef to Asyut.

Alstom completed the work amid the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic.

The Mallawi section is the fifth part of the rail line between Beni Suef and Asyut, which has already started service using Alstom’s interlocking signalling system.

It follows the commissioning of Beni Mazar station last November.

In March 2019, the Smartlock 400 started commercial operations at Maghagha’s main railway station in Egypt.

So far, 40km of the rail line is completely automated with contraflow function and 70km of Egypt’s mainline railway is operational using Alstom’s signalling solution.

Alstom Egypt MD Mohamed Khalil said: “Our Egyptian team of experts namely in the fields of installation, construction and commissioning, succeeded to deliver this new section despite a challenging operational context.

“We are proud of this new demonstration of the sense of responsibility of our teams. Our mission is to always meet our customers’ and stakeholders’ expectations.”

In 2015, Alstom secured a €100m contract from Egyptian National Railways (ENR) to deliver signalling equipment for the Beni Suef-Asyut line in Egypt.

The contract also made Alstom responsible for the maintenance of the 240km-long Beni Suef-Asyut line for five years.

Alstom also secured contracts worth approximately €190m from Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) to supply signalling, telecommunications and electromechanical equipment for the phase three extension of Cairo Metro’s line 3.