In pics: 400 bus stations renovatedin preparation for AFCON

CAIRO - 12 June 2019: As part of preparations for the 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), Chairman of the Public Transport Authority Rizk Ali said on Wednesday that the authority completed the renovation of more than 400 bus stations all over Egypt.

Rizk told Egypt Today that the renovations come in response to the directives of Governor of Cairo Khaled Abdel Ghafar who instructed maintaining and paving the roads and establishing new parks on the streets as well as restoring old gardens.

On Tuesday, Ali said that the authority renovated a total number of 600 public transport buses and a special operation room will be set to follow up on the tournament buses.

Meanwhile, Egypt inaugurated three new metro stations in Cairo to facilitate the transfer of Egyptian and African fans to the stadiums.

The Ministry of Transport announced in a statement on Saturday that pilot operation of the three stations for the commuters will start on June 15, adding that the three stations are named Haroun, Nadi al-Shams, and Alf Maskan.

The stations are the first inaugurated stops in the fourth stage of the third line expansion in Cairo metro, the statement added.

The new stations will help transport football fans from areas in Heliopolis, Alf Maskan, and Gisr al Suez to Cairo Stadium, which is located 500 meters away from The Stadium metro station in Nasr City.

The AFCON starts on June 21 and ends on July 19. The tournament takes place with the participation of 24 teams in six groups for the first time in the history of the African competition.