The Egyptian National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) proposed a limited tender for consultancy on the rehabilitation of the Raml tram in Alexandria. The NAT invited six consultancy office alliances of those willing to participate in the tender to submit their bids for the project, pointing out that the opening of bids will take place on 1 April. The development and rehabilitation of Raml tram project will be funded by the French Development Agency (AFD). The invited alliances include SYSTRA, which formed a coalition with Egis Rail, Arab Consulting Engineers – Moharram Bakhoum, and Projacs International. The second alliance includes the French group Setec-Group and Khatib & Alami office, while the third alliance consists of SENER and EHAF Consulting Engineers. The fourth alliance is between the French Artelia Ville & Transport, Ingerop, and Menarail. The fifth alliance includes the Spanish TYPSA and the Engineering Consultants Group (ECG). The sixth alliance was led by TPF Getinsa Euroestudios, in partnership with the French AREP and the Egyptian Office of Technical Consultancy (BECT). The development works will start from Victoria station to Raml station and an extension to Mansheya Square with a total length of 13.7 kilometres, including 28 stations. The project includes civil works, arrangements, power supplies, electro-mechanical equipment and systems, toll equipment, signalling and driving modes, centralised control systems, telecommunications systems, track works, and rolling stock. Minister of Transport Hisham Arafat announced last year the government's approval to rehabilitate the Raml tram in Alexandria after an increase in the population of the city, with the aim to shorten the trip's time to only 30 minutes and develop the electrical signalling. The project also aims to increase the tram's capacity to 350,000 passengers daily at a cost of EGP 360m.
