CAIRO - The train passengers in Delta and Upper Egyptian governorates hold their breath and expect to die at any given moment. Their fear is triggered by the worsening conditions in this critical sector. Inaugurated in 1854, the Egyptian Railways were the first in Africa and the Middle East and only the second ones after Great Britain in the entire world. Today, the network connects the densely populated areas of the Nile Delta and Upper Egypt with Cairo and Alexandria, accounting for a big percentage of local passenger transportation. The 156 year-old service has, according to its users, reached the stage where it needs to undergo urgent and comprehensive modernisation, regardless of projects implemented and promises made by successive governments. "Negligence and neglect are endemic. The windows are broken and the doors don't close, which fills the trains with dust and sand. The trains are hardly ever on time, either because of defective operating systems or strikes," complained Ismail Mongee, a student. "The carriages are completely overcrowded and there is no police presence, which gives thugs free reign. They steal and fill the passengers with horror, while the police won' act," Mongee added. The commuters using these trains on a daily basis include university students, farmers, civil servants and small traders. While some passengers accommodate themselves on the floor, others take refuge in the upper luggage racks and have a good nap until they reach their designated stops. There are no positive developments and policies. "I have been depending on trains for over ten years. Although the officials are aware that improvements are urgently needed, I haven't noticed the faintest change. The trains are getting from bad to worse," Sherif Badawi, an employee, complained. Industrial safety measures constitute another challenge the Railway Authority has to face, considering the high risk of overcrowded carriages. "There are no fire extinguishers or alarms," stated Rashad Sobhi, an employee. "Since there are no security guards, women get sexually harassed. Some male passengers use the kind of bad language that should not be uttered in the presence of families and children. On top of all that, beggars and vendors pose another serious problem. The goods they sell, particularly food and drinks, are not subject to any kind of hygienic supervision," he stressed. But the passengers are not the only ones who suffer. Train drivers are equally complaining. "The working hours are getting longer and longer, while Railway Authority salaries are pathetically low," said Mohamed Ali, who works as a train driver in the Delta. Ali condemned the Authority officials for ignoring the drivers' demands and sticking to outdated bonuses. "The Authority is divided into two sections – long-distance and short-distance. Each administration responsible for one section has it own regulations and systems, including the bonus system," he stressed. A Railway Authority official assured that development procedures were in progress. "The Authority has established a company to provide services and clean the trains. We enlisted foreign experts to evaluate and help develop the railway system," Hani Hegab, the Head of the Egyptian Railway Authority, told Al-Horriyya wa Al-Adala (freedom and justice) newspaper. "We train our staff to be ualified enough to carry out maintenance on the rails, locomotives and signals," Hegab stated.
