![Security forces and people inspect the site after two trains collided in Khorshid district of Alexandria, Egypt on August 11, 2017 [Ahmed Abd Alkawey / Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170811_2_25203516_24869769.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
The Egyptian cabinet is expected to approve a proposed bill stipulating the privatisation of the railways, Anadolu has reported.
The Ministry of Transport has finished drafting the bill, which will be presented to the cabinet for approval soon. Once approved, the bill will be presented to the State Council, a judicial body that reviews proposed legislation before it is eventually sent to parliament.
The aim behind the change is to end the national railway authority’s monopoly. It is also related to the operation and maintenance of the railway system, a senior cabinet source told Anadolu.
In the past few months, the Egyptian government has been working on floating a number of government services and public banks on the stock market.
According to Transportation Minister Hisham Arafat, the development of just one square kilometre of railway requires 21 million Egyptian pounds ($1.8 million), while developing all of Egypt’s railways will cost 45 billion Egyptian pounds ($2.5 billion).
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Egypt has suffered a number of fatal train crashes, due to worn-out carriages, the failure to develop level crossings where the railways and roads cross, and the absence of electronic signalling systems. Most recently, on 11 August, two trains crashed in the coastal governorate of Alexandria, which resulted in the death of more than 40 passengers and the injury of dozens more. Railway officials are currently detained pending an investigation into the crash.