Cairo’s central metro station Sadat, which lies under Tahrir Square, will finally start operating after months of closure – but only to allow for the transit between two underground subway lines.
The doors of the station will remain closed, preventing any exit to Tahrir.
The head of the state-run company that manages the metro, Ali Fadaly, told state news agency MENA that the reopening of Sadat would help reduce congestion at Shohadaa station, one stop away to the north by Ramses Square and, until Sadat starts working again, the only other station where passengers can change between the first and second metro lines.
Fadaly said Sadat’s operation will start within 20 days time.
The Sadat station was closed following the bloody dispersal of a sit-in supporting ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi by security forces in August, amid nationwide protests and violence by Morsi supporters.
Officials said the station was closed due to “security reasons,” possibly to stave off pro-Morsi protesters from reaching Tahrir Square.
Approximately 3 million Egyptians use the metro for transportation on a daily basis, according to Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS).
Source : Ahram online
