The National Railway Authority’s (NRA) planned purchase of 1,000 new train cars will cost EGP 16 bn, Transport Minister Hisham Arafat said at a press conference yesterday, Ahram Online reports. The purchases will be funded through facilitated loans, according to Arafat. The minister had previously said the NRA was deliberating two rival bids between Italy and Hungary for the train cars, and that Italian companies had offered to supply the cars 30% cheaper than the nearest offer. Separately, 24 transportation solutions companies are expected to present their offers for the electronic development of the railway to the NRA in November, deputy head of the Federation of Egyptian Industries’ ICT division Hamdy El Leithy said, according to Al Masry Al Youm. A bill is in the works to allow the private sector to participate in the development, operations, and management of the railway sector.

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