The basic design and preliminary tender documents for the first part of phase three on Cairo metro’s Line 3 are now complete.

France’s Systra, the consultant for the expansion of Cairo’s metro network, submitted the design and preliminary tender documents to Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels in early March.

The documents were due to be ready by the end of 2009 but faced a delay of three months (MEED 11:1:10).

Once the authority has reviewed the documents, contractors expect to be issued with the tender documents in mid-2010.

Systra is expected to complete the design and tender documents for the second and third parts of phase 3 by the end of 2010, says a source closely involved with the project.

Line 3 will be 30 kilometres when complete and will be developed in three phases.

The first phase will be 4km long, running from Attaba Station to Kit Kat Station in the west of the city and it will have four underground stations.

The second phase will be 7km and will run from Kit Kat Station to Rod el-Farag in the north of Cairo and will have six stations plus a workshop.

The third phase will also be 7km and will run from Kit Kat Station to junction of Line 2 at Cairo University Station in the south.

Work is already under way on the first and second phases of the project to build Line 3 of Cairo metro.

A fourth phase of the line will connect the airport to the centre of the city.