Cairo: Transport Minister Kamel el Wazir conducted an inspection tour to follow up on preparations for the second phase of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project running from the Field Marshal Tantawi station to the Sun Capital station at the intersection of the Ring Road and Fayoum Road.According to State Information Service Egypt, the second phase extends 40 km and includes 16 stations, out of a total of 48 stations planned for the project across its three phases. The minister was accompanied by Hossam el-Din Mostafa, assistant minister for roads and bridges; Abdel Rahman el-Baz, assistant minister for project follow-up; and Tarek Abdel-Gawad, head of the General Authority for Roads and Bridges.During the tour, Wazir inspected several stations and existing transport stops beneath the Ring Road that serve passengers traveling to and from the area. He also reviewed passenger access to stations through pedestrian bridges and tunnels, waiting areas inside stations, ticketing systems, and electronic gates used to board the buses.He called for round-the-clock work to speed up the completion of the second phase so that services can begin in the coming period, particularly in light of strong demand from passengers using the first phase of the BRT line. The initial phase runs from the intersection of the Ring Road and Alexandria Agricultural Road to the Police Academy station.The minister highlighted that the second phase will serve residential and commercial areas, including New Cairo via the Field Marshal Tantawi and Golf stations, Maadi (Carrefour Maadi), Mokattam, Omraniya, Talbiya, Mariouteya, Mansouriya, and the intersection of Fayoum Road with Oases Road and Ain Sokhna Road.Wazir emphasized that the project is part of the ministry's plan to expand environmentally friendly mass transit systems. He added that the BRT system provides a fast and safe mode of transport that can encourage citizens to shift away from private cars, helping to reduce congestion and fuel consumption while improving travel times th rough the dedicated bus lane along the Ring Road.He stated that the project will provide high levels of service through a modern fleet of locally manufactured electric buses. It will also connect key intersections along the Ring Road, including the Suez, Adly Mansour, Marg, and Mostorod interchanges, linking eastern and western parts of the capital and providing a direct connection to the New Administrative Capital.The BRT system will integrate with other transport networks, including Metro Line 1 at Zahraa and Marg stations, Metro Line 3 at Adly Mansour and Imbaba stations, and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) at Adly Mansour station. Wazir noted that the BRT project was implemented as an alternative to the previously planned Metro Line 5 within the Greater Cairo urban transport network. He added that all stations are designed to include transport stops, waiting areas, and commercial zones to provide services for nearby residents and BRT passengers.