France’s Alstom won two contracts worth $204m for the supply of signalling and telecommunications systems and infrastructure for the third phase of Cairo Metro’s Line 3.

Alstom will be providing its Urbalis signalling solution at Line 3’s operating control centre, as well as point machines and station signalling equipment.

The solution, says Alstom, will enable safe journeys for commuters as well as a short headway between trains.

Other items included in the scope of the contracts are power substations, ventilation systems and elevators and escalators.

Phase 3 of the third metro line will extend from Attaba to Kit Kat, through Rod el-Farag and on to Cairo University. It will be built in three parts, with the entire phase to be completed by 2018. The total length of the line will be 17.7 kilometres and include 15 stations. The cost of this phase is $1.8bn.

In addition to these two contracts, Alstom has provided Metropolis trains as well as infrastructure, signalling and services solutions for lines 1 and 2 of Cairo Metro and has been awarded phases 1, 2 and 4a of Line 3.