Transport Minister Kamel El Wazir inaugurated on October 20 Cairo’s Heliopolis metro station, the largest of its kind in the Middle East, as part of the country’s plans to renovate and expand the capital’s fastest means of transportation, Invest-Gate reports.

The new 10,000-square-meter subway station is fully air-conditioned and was implemented at a total cost of EGP 1.9 bn, entirely financed by the public treasury. It is part of the fourth phase of Cairo Metro Line III, which will see further planned openings next December, El Wazir confirmed in a recent official statement.

The three-level project is 225 meters long, 22 meters wide, and 28 meters deep from the street level. It encompasses eight exits and entrances, 18 fixed stairways, 17 escalators, and four elevators.

In June, the transport ministry officially announced the opening of three subway stations for pilot operation, coming shortly before the 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The stations are Haroun El Rashid, Alf Maskan, and El Shams Club stations, all located in Heliopolis, east Cairo, aiming at facilitating the transportation of AFCON fans attending matches namely at Cairo International Stadium and El Salam Stadium.